refractive
Americanadjective
-
of or concerned with refraction
-
(of a material or substance) capable of causing refraction
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of refractive
First recorded in 1665–75, refractive is from the Late Latin word refrāctīvus (of pronouns) reflexive. See refract, -ive
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.
A key concept behind this discovery is the refractive index, which describes how much a material bends or slows light.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 21, 2026
The key difference in this new approach is the use of molybdenum diselenide, which has a much higher refractive index.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 5, 2026
There is a strange, refractive moment at the end of this Fanatics commercial where Kendall Jenner bets on the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl.
From Slate ● Feb. 8, 2026
“If somehow that feedback is broken, for example, if kids are exposed to only a certain kind of wavelength, then that can mess up your refractive development.”
From Salon ● Mar. 27, 2025
He's only in the door three seconds before he starts spouting some theory about spectral analysis and the refractive indices of protein substances, and he's carrying a big box full of books and papers.
From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements
Definitions 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.
