diffraction

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) The bending of a wave around an obstacle.
2. (countable, uncountable) The breaking up of an electromagnetic wave as it passes a geometric structure (e.g. a slit), followed by reconstruction of the wave by interference.

Synonyms

declination

deflection

diffract

dispersion

error

inflection

refraction

scattering

separation

Fraunhofer diffraction

Airy disk

Translations

diffraction

difracción

diffrazione

Beugung

Diffraktion

kırınım

flessione

difração

difracció

διάθλαση

Difracção

περίθλαση

diffractie

fléchissement

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dɪˈfɹækʃən/

Etymology

From New Latin diffrāctiō (in which coined by Francesco Maria Grimaldi), from Latin diffrāctus, past participle of Latin diffringo (“to shatter, to break into pieces”). Coined in Physico-mathesis de lumine (1665) by Francesco Maria Grimaldi.