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.
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
Even before the completion of the Yerkes refractor, Hale was not only dreaming of building a still larger telescope but was also taking concrete steps to achieve that goal.
From Textbooks ● Oct. 13, 2016
In 2007, after years of study, he built his own 100-millimeter refractor telescope out of spare parts he found around the city.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2016
With 3-inch refractor in the Punjab I found it “full scarlet.”
From Astronomical Curiosities Facts and Fallacies by Gore, J. Ellard
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.
