prism

Meaning

1. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
2. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
3. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
4. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
5. (archaic) A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
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.

Synonyms

prismatic

optical prism

prismy

prisma

spectroscope

prismoid

right-angle prism

step lens

prismatic crystal

edge glass

glass prism

prismate astrolabe

crystal

prism block

kaleidoscope

reflector

spectrometer

Translations

Prisma

prisme

prisma

prisma

prisma

πρίσμα

prisma

prizma

prisma

biçme

Winkelprisma

Winkelspiegel

puwazk

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpɹɪz(ə)m/

Etymology

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.).