optics

American  

[op-tiks] / ˈɒp tɪks /

noun

1. (used with a singular verb) the branch of physical science that deals with the properties and phenomena of both visible and invisible light and with vision.

2. (used with a plural verb) the way a situation, action, event, etc., is perceived by the public or by a particular group of people.

   The optics on this issue are pretty good for the Democrats.

   Administrators worry about the bad optics of hiring new staff during a budget crisis.

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optics British  

/ ˈɒptɪks /

noun

1. (functioning as singular) the branch of science concerned with vision and the generation, nature, propagation, and behaviour of electromagnetic light

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optics Scientific  

/ ŏp′tĭks /

1. The scientific study of light and vision. The study of optics led to the development of more general theories of electromagnetic radiation and theories of color.

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optics Cultural  

1. The branch of physics dealing with light. (See electromagnetic waves, laser, lens, reflection, and refraction.)

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Etymology

Origin of optics

First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin optica, from Greek optiká “theory of the laws of light,” noun use of neuter plural of adjective optikós; see optic, -ics

Explanation

Scientists who study the physics of light are experts in optics. The field of optics includes light's physical attributes and the way our eyes detect it. If you learn about optics in a physics class, you'll spend some time learning about vision, which involves our eyes' ability to focus and reflect light — to see, in other words. Other aspects of optics include properties like reflection, refraction, and various ways light interacts with matter. Informally, optics is also used to mean "political spin," or the way the public perceives what politicians say and do, and how politicians tailor their actions to be viewed in specific ways.

Example Sentences

Shares soared 12% on Wednesday after Nvidia announced plans to invest $500 million in the glassmaker to expand manufacturing of fiber optics, a key connective tissue for AI infrastructure.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

“If you look at the amount of fiber optics strands that some of these data centers will need, it makes sense that they work with Corning,” he said.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

The high level of training for Marines shows that command considered the optics of military personnel harming or even killing civilians, Kavanagh said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

“XPO reduces networking racks by up to 75% and saves up to 44% of floor space compared to traditional pluggable optics, enabling shorter cable runs and lower-power AI scale-up interconnect technologies,” Arista said.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

The first result was The Method, which appeared in 1637, accompanied by three essays, on meteorology, optics and geometry.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Related Words

• eyesight
• perception
• view