Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

polariscope

American  
[poh-lar-uh-skohp, puh-] / poʊˈlær əˌskoʊp, pə- /

noun

Optics.
  1. an instrument for measuring or exhibiting the polarization of light or for examining substances in polarized light, often to determine stress and strain in glass and other substances.


polariscope British  
/ pəʊˈlærɪˌskəʊp /

noun

  1. an instrument for detecting polarized light or for observing objects under polarized light, esp for detecting strain in transparent materials See photoelasticity

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • polariscopic adjective
  • polariscopically adverb

Etymology

Origin of polariscope

1820–30; < Medieval Latin polāri ( s ) polar + -scope

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.

The part of a polariscope which receives the light after polarization, and exhibits its properties.

From Project Gutenberg

The instrument commonly employed for measuring the optic axial angle of biaxial crystals is really a combination of a goniometer with a polariscope.

From Project Gutenberg

As a result of this work Arago constructed a polariscope, which he used for some interesting observations on the polarization of the light of the sky.

From Project Gutenberg

The difficulty was settled by using the polariscope, which gave an absolute chemical test of the sweetness, irrespective of color.

From Project Gutenberg

Yet experiments with the polariscope were interpreted in an adverse sense, and Bond's conclusion that the comet sent us virtually unmixed reflected sunshine was generally acquiesced in.

From Project Gutenberg