wave theory

American  

noun

1. Also called undulatory theory.  Physics. the theory that light is transmitted as a wave, similar to oscillations in magnetic and electric fields.

2. Historical Linguistics. a theory that accounts for shared features among languages or dialects by identifying these features as innovations that spread from their points of origin to the speech of contiguous areas.

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wave theory British  

noun

1. the theory proposed by Huygens that light is transmitted by waves

2. any theory that light or other radiation is transmitted as waves See electromagnetic wave

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Etymology

Origin of wave theory

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

The effect is of a droplet that appears to walk along a rippled surface in patterns that turn out to be in line with de Broglie's pilot wave theory.

From Science Daily • Dec. 12, 2023

As Bell said, study Bohm’s pilot wave theory and you see that everything can be explained perfectly well, with no funny business at all logically or conceptually.

From Scientific American • Nov. 4, 2018

Aether: a medium that in the wave theory of light permeates all space and transmits transverse waves.

From New York Times • Jan. 19, 2018

The events after the Paris attacks suggest the wave theory over the pied piper theory.

From Salon • Dec. 8, 2015

Many properties of light, including diffraction, are naturally explained by the wave theory, and in subsequent years Huygens’ view carried the day.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan