refractor
Americannoun
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an object or material that refracts
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another name for refracting telescope
Etymology
Origin of refractor
Explanation
A refractor is a kind of lens that bends light to form a focused image. A telescope that uses this type of lens to bring distant objects into view is also known as a refractor. The word refractor comes from refract, "to break or bend the natural course." In the case of a telescope, it's light that's being refracted, or bent, as it passes through a lens. A second lens magnifies the image, making it possible to see distant stars and planets. Today, most large telescopes used by astronomers to see very distant objects are reflecting telescopes that use mirrors rather than refractors.
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.
Last year, an autographed Bowman chrome refractor card of Ohtani in his 2018 rookie year fetched $184,000.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2024
I also “invest” in collecting rookie/prospect refractor cards.
From Slate ● Apr. 12, 2022
According to Beckett, the Trout red refractor is the second rarest version of the Angels’ superstar’s card.
From Fox News ● May 21, 2020
Currently, the largest refracting telescope is the 40-inch refractor at Yerkes Observatory in Wisconsin.
From Textbooks ● Oct. 13, 2016
Paul and Prosper Henry, December 21, 1885, with their 13-inch photographic refractor.
From A Popular History of Astronomy During the Nineteenth Century Fourth Edition by Agnes M. (Agnes Mary) Clerke
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.
