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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

prism en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈpɹɪzəm/ (General-American)
  • /ˈpɹɪz(ə)m/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • (General-American) audio
  • [ˈpʰɹ̠̊ɪzm̩] (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek πρῑ́ω (prī́ō) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Hellenic *-mə Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek πρίσμᾰ (prísmă)bor. Late Latin prismalbor. English prism Learned borrowing from Late Latin prisma (“(geometry) prism”), from Ancient Greek πρίσμᾰ (prísmă, “anything sawn; sawdust; (Koine, geometry) prism”), from πρῐ́ζω (prĭ́zō) (a variant of πρῑ́ω (prī́ō, “to saw”), further etymology unknown) + -μᾰ (-mă, suffix forming neuter nouns denoting the effect or result of an action, etc.).

Meanings

  1. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides. ▸ An object having the shape of a geometrical prism (sense 1).
  2. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides. ▸ A cutting (“open passage at a level lower than the surrounding terrain, dug for a canal, railway, or road to go through”) or an embankment shaped like a prism (sense 1) or a number of prisms, such that its volume can be easily calculated.
  3. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides. ▸ A crystal in which the faces are parallel to the vertical axis.
  4. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides. ▸ A transparent block in the shape of a prism (sense 1), typically with triangular ends, used to reflect or refract light.
    • [page 13] One of theſe Parts [of a piece of black paper] I painted vvith a red Colour and the other vvith a blevv. […] This Paper I vievved through a Priſm of ſolid Glaſs, vvhoſe tvvo Sides through vvhich the Light paſſed to the Eye vvere plane and vvell poliſhed, and contained an Angle of about Sixty Degrees: vvhich Angle I call the refracting Angle of the Priſm. […] [page 17] Theſe Experiments may ſuffice for the Colours of Natural Bodies. For in the Colours made by the Refraction of Priſms this Propoſition vvill appear by the Experiments vvhich are novv to follovv in the next Propoſition. 1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “[The First Book of Opticks. Part I.] Prop[osition] I. Theor[y] I. Lights which Differ in Colour, Differ also in Degrees of Refrangibility.”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith, and Benj[amin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, pages 13 and 17:
    • Here, avvful [Isaac] Newton, the diſſolving clouds / Form, fronting on the ſun, thy ſhovvery priſm; / And to the ſage-inſtructed eye unfold / The various tvvine of light, by thee diſclos'd / From the vvhite mingling maze. a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC, page 10, lines 207–211:
  5. (archaic) A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides. ▸ A transparent block in the shape of a prism (sense 1), typically with triangular ends, used to reflect or refract light. ▸ A spectrum produced by light being refracted through a prism.
    • The beams, that thro' the Oriel shine, / Make prisms in every carven glass, […] 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “The Day-Dream”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 151:
  6. (broadly) A retroreflector (“device which reflects light back to its source with minimal scattering”) which is usually attached to a surveying pole as a target for a total station which emits a light beam at the device and calculates how long it takes to be reflected back in order to measure distance.
  7. (figuratively) A perspective that colours one's perception.
    • It is a simple fact that many outside the Abu Dhabi-owned club will always view their triumph through the prism of the charges of 115 financial breaches brought against them by the Premier League, charges they fiercely deny. 2023 June 10, Phil McNulty, “Manchester City 1 – 0 Inter Milan”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 10 Apr 2024:
    • I had surveyed the landscape through the prism of poetry, which tinged every object with the hues of the rainbow. 1820 September 13, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Stratford-on-Avon”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number VII, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 87:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
prisms Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

prism train · slab-off prism · prisoptometer · prismed · duoprism · prism glass · polyprismane · nanoprism · regular muscle-prism · antiprism · muscle-prism · hyperprism · prismate · gonioprism · prismodic · prismatoid · Nomarski prism · microprismatic · muscle prism · prismal · Sénarmont prism · prismatic · prismatoidal · prismane · prismated · gigantoprism · grism · Glan–Foucault prism · prismatically · prismless · prismenchyma · prismoid · odor prism · Glan–Thompson prism · foreprism · prismic · prismlike · prismoidal · prismy

Descendants

プリズム · 프리즘 · ปริซึม

Hypernyms

prismatoid

Hyponyms

microprism · pentagonal prism · triangular prism · Rochon prism · irregular prism · hemiprism · Littrow prism · wedge prism · Amici prism · hexagonal prism · Porro prism · accretionary prism · biprism · protoprism · Wollaston prism · clino-prism · roof prism · macroprism · cylinder · pentaprism · Dove prism · Nicol prism · orthoprism

Translations (165)

war prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · it prisma (type of polyhedron) · cy prism (type of polyhedron) · pa ਰੰਗਾਵਲ (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ckb پوازک (type of polyhedron) · uk граностовп (type of polyhedron) · sl prizma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · grc πρίσμα (type of polyhedron) · mk при́зма (type of polyhedron) · sh prȉzma (type of polyhedron) · fr prisme (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ru при́зма (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · de Prisma (type of polyhedron) · hi प्रिज़्म (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · pl pryzmat (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · te పట్టకం (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · cmn 稜柱 /棱柱 (type of polyhedron) · ms prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · kk призма (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ml പ്രിസം (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · fi penger (cutting or embankment shaped like a prism or number of prisms) · mdf призмась (type of polyhedron) · pl graniastosłup (type of polyhedron) · uz prizma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · cs hranol (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · gl prisma (type of polyhedron) · ca prisma (type of polyhedron) · vo prismat (type of polyhedron) · ja 角柱 (type of polyhedron) · tg призма (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · eo prismo (type of polyhedron) · io prismato (type of polyhedron) · ky призма (type of polyhedron) · mr लोलक (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · si ප්රිස්මය (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · bn প্রিজম (type of polyhedron) · ko 프리즘 (type of polyhedron) · bn প্রিজম (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · mi poro (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · tr prizma (type of polyhedron) · cs hranol (type of polyhedron) · sl prizma (type of polyhedron) · uk граняк (type of polyhedron) · yi פּריזמע (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · hu prizma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · el πρίσμα (type of polyhedron) · sv prisma (type of polyhedron) · he מִנְסָרָה (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · fi särmiö (type of polyhedron) · gur dɔpẽrga (type of polyhedron) · ba призма (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · gl prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ja プリズム (type of polyhedron) · nn prisme (type of polyhedron) · fa شوشِه (type of polyhedron) · gur dɔkãwo (type of polyhedron) · sh при̏зма (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · az prizma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · nn prisme (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · mk при́зма (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · km ព្រីស (type of polyhedron) · sq prizëm (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ko 프리즘 (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · gur prisma (type of polyhedron) · tg призма (type of polyhedron) · fr prisme (type of polyhedron) · fi prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · es prisma (type of polyhedron) · nl prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · cmn 稜鏡 /棱镜 (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · nb prisme (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · az prizma (type of polyhedron) · ro prismă (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ja 三稜鏡 (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ar مَوْشُور (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ta பட்டகம் (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ga priosma (type of polyhedron) · he מִנְסָרָה (type of polyhedron) · el πρίσμα (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · de Prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ro prismă (type of polyhedron) · da prisme (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ru при́зма (type of polyhedron) · rgn prìșma (type of polyhedron) · es prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · sv prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · is prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · bg при́зма (type of polyhedron) · hi प्रिज़्म (type of polyhedron) · lv prizma (type of polyhedron) · fi prisma (crystal in which the faces are parallel to the vertical axis) · ja プリズム (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · br kengereg (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · kn ಅಶ್ರಕ (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · it prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · sh prȉzma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · lv prizma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ta பட்டகம் (type of polyhedron) · frr prisma (type of polyhedron) · uz prizma (type of polyhedron) · tr prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · tg маншур (type of polyhedron) · ar مَنْشُور (type of polyhedron) · th ปริซึม (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · eo prismo (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · et prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · tl balimbing (type of polyhedron) · hy պրիզմա (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · id prisma (type of polyhedron) · sh при̏зма (type of polyhedron) · id prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · oc prisma (type of polyhedron) · be пры́зма (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · te పట్టకం (type of polyhedron) · eu prisma optico (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ky призма (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · io prismato (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · cv при́зма (type of polyhedron) · km ព្រីស (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · pt prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · yi פּריזמע (type of polyhedron) · da prisme (type of polyhedron) · vi hình lăng trụ (type of polyhedron) · oc prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · nb prisme (type of polyhedron) · th ปริซึม (type of polyhedron) · ca prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · fa مَنشور (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · hu hasáb (type of polyhedron) · fi leikkaus (cutting or embankment shaped like a prism or number of prisms) · ka პრიზმა (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · fy prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ast prisma (type of polyhedron) · ba при́зма (type of polyhedron) · mt priżma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · bg при́зма (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · be пры́зма (type of polyhedron) · fa مَنشور (type of polyhedron) · uk при́зма (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · kk призма (type of polyhedron) · sk hranol (type of polyhedron) · la prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · vi lăng kính (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · tt призма (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ur مَنْشُور (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · hy պրիզմա (type of polyhedron) · ar مَنْشُور (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ast prisma (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · fi takaisinheijastin (surveying: retroreflector) · nl prisma (type of polyhedron) · ka პრიზმა (type of polyhedron) · aii ܢܣܝܼܪܵܐ (type of polyhedron) · my ပရစ်ဇမ် (type of polyhedron) · uk при́зма (type of polyhedron) · tg маншур (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · sq prizëm (type of polyhedron) · vo prismat (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · fi prisma (type of polyhedron) · pt prisma (type of polyhedron) · et prisma (type of polyhedron) · sk hranol (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · ms prisma (type of polyhedron) · lt prizmė (transparent block used to reflect or refract light) · eu prisma (type of polyhedron) · ko 각기둥 (type of polyhedron)