Dictionary

refract en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Latin refrāctum, neuter form of refrāctus, the past participle of refringō, itself from re- (“again”) + frangō (“to break”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) Of a medium, substance, object, etc.: to deflect the course of (light rays), esp. when they enter the medium, etc., at an oblique angle; to cause refraction of (light, other electromagnetic radiation, or sound or other wave phenomena).
2. (figuratively, transitive) To mediate; to alter; to distort.
3. (transitive) To cause (light) to change direction as a result of entering a different medium.
4. (transitive) To measure, and often also to correct with lenses, the refractive error of (an eye) or the eyes of (a person).
   • A prism can refract light.

Forms

Deriveds

refractable · refracting · refractometer · refractometric · refracting telescope · nonrefracting · unrefracting · refractometry · refractor

Relateds

refraction · refringent · refractory · reflect · refrangible · refractive

Translations (28)

it rifrangersi (to cause to change direction) · fi taittua (to change direction) · bg пречупвам се (to change direction) · ga athraon (to cause to change direction) · es refractar (to cause to change direction) · uk заломлювати (to cause to change direction) · mi whakahakoko (to cause to change direction) · ro refracta (to change direction) · sv bryta (to cause to change direction) · de brechen (to cause to change direction) · gv aascellee (to cause to change direction) · fi taittaa (to cause to change direction) · ru преломи́ть (to cause to change direction) · gv aascellee (to change direction) · es refractar (to change direction) · it rifrangere (to change direction) · ro refracta (to cause to change direction) · nl breken (to change direction) · uk заломлюватися (to change direction) · fr réfracter (to cause to change direction) · ru преломля́ться (to change direction) · io refraktar (to cause to change direction) · ru преломи́ться (to change direction) · ru преломля́ть (to cause to change direction) · nl breken (to cause to change direction) · mi hakoko (to change direction) · bg пречупвам (to cause to change direction) · io refraktar (to change direction)