optical
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or applying optics or the principles of optics.
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constructed to assist sight or to correct defects in vision.
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of or relating to sight or vision; visual.
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of or relating to the eye.
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of or relating to an optician or opticians or to their products, especially eyeglasses.
an optical service.
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dealing with or skilled in optics.
noun
adjective
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of, relating to, producing, or involving light
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of or relating to the eye or to the sense of sight; optic
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(esp of a lens) aiding vision or correcting a visual disorder
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Relating to vision or the eyes.
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Relating to optics.
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Relating to or using visible light.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of optical
Explanation
Anything that's optical has something to do with sight. You could call your glasses an optical aid, since they help you see things more clearly. Optical assistance comes in many forms, from glasses and contacts to binoculars and telescopes. All of these optical devices help magnify or clarify your vision. Using a big telescope to view the stars is known as optical astronomy, as opposed to the kind of astronomy that's practiced using radio signals or math. An optical illusion is a trick played on your eyes, when what they perceive is different from what is actually there.
Vocabulary lists containing optical
Common Senses: Op, Ops, Opt ("Sight")
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Workshop 1, Part 1
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Punching the Air
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Until now, researchers had struggled to preserve the quantum optical properties of individual emitters attached to surfaces.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026
For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that molecules attached to a surface can reach the ultimate quantum limit of optical coherence, overcoming a major obstacle that has long restricted molecular quantum research.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026
In the case of InnerPlant, that optical signal is a glow given off by the plant that is invisible to the human eye but detectable by tractors with cameras in the field, drones or satellites.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Startups are using gene editing and sensors to make plants emit optical signals or change colors when they are under stress from pests or disease.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Or that optical illusion with the staircases that never stop going upward.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
