numerical aperture
noun Microscopy.
a measure of the resolving power of a microscope, equal to the index of refraction of the medium in which the object is placed multiplied by the sine of the angle made with the axis by the most oblique ray entering the instrument, the resolving power increasing as the product increases. Abbreviation: N.A.
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Nearby words
numerate, numeration, numerator, numerical, numerical analysis, numerical aperture, numerical control, numerical identity, numerical taxonomy, numerical weather prediction, numerically
Origin of numerical aperture
First recorded in 1875–80
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019