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Synonyms

trifocal

American  
[trahy-foh-kuhl, trahy-foh-] / traɪˈfoʊ kəl, ˈtraɪˌfoʊ- /

adjective

  1. Optics. having three foci.

  2. (of an eyeglass lens) having three portions, one for near, one for intermediate, and one for far vision.

noun

  1. trifocals, eyeglasses with trifocal lenses.

trifocal British  

adjective

  1. having three focuses

  2. having three focal lengths

"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

noun

  1. (plural) glasses with trifocal lenses

"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

Etymology

Origin of trifocal

First recorded in 1945–50; tri- + focal

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.

However, the shooting happened at night, and one witness had poor vision and wore trifocal lenses.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 20, 2024

Flores’ girlfriend, who wore glasses with trifocal lenses, picked out Palacios.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2024

How could a man with trifocal vision fail to see that the peace would need as much planning as the war?

From Time Magazine Archive

The Hilton ballroom is sold out, and Cosby, after starting slowly, leaves the crowd howling at his routine on trifocal eyeglasses.

From Time Magazine Archive

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.