optical
adjective
op·ti·cal
ˈäp-ti-kəl 
1
: of or relating to the science of optics
2
a
: of or relating to vision : visual
b
: visible sense 1
optical wavelength
c
: of, relating to, or being objects that emit light in the visible range of frequencies
an optical galaxy
d
: using the properties of light to aid vision
an optical instrument
3
a
: of, relating to, or utilizing light especially instead of other forms of energy
optical microscopy
b
: involving the use of light-sensitive devices to acquire information for a computer
optical character recognition
4
: of or relating to optical art
Examples of optical in a Sentence
The company manufactures microscopes, telescopes, and other optical instruments.
an optical illusion that fools most people
Recent Examples on the Web
Well, in short, over long distances, optical signals tend to weaken.
—
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026
Marketing claims about blue light filtering do not reliably indicate a consistent optical effect from one product to the next.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 13 June 2026
The agreement is a boon for Corning's optical communications division, which produces the networking solutions and fiber-optic cabling essential to data center development.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 13 June 2026
This open optical ecosystem gives the C42 immense room to grow, supporting everything from a 14-mm ultra-wide nightscape lens to a massive 2,000-mm+ planetary setup on an advanced equatorial mount.
—New Atlas, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for optical
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Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026
Marketing claims about blue light filtering do not reliably indicate a consistent optical effect from one product to the next.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 13 June 2026
The agreement is a boon for Corning's optical communications division, which produces the networking solutions and fiber-optic cabling essential to data center development.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 13 June 2026
This open optical ecosystem gives the C42 immense room to grow, supporting everything from a 14-mm ultra-wide nightscape lens to a massive 2,000-mm+ planetary setup on an advanced equatorial mount.
—New Atlas, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for optical
Cite this Entry
“Optical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optical. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
optical
adjective
op·ti·cal
ˈäp-ti-kəl
1
: relating to optics
2
: of or relating to vision
3
a
: of, relating to, or using light
an optical telescope
b
: involving the use of a device that senses light to acquire information for a computer
an optical scanner
Medical Definition
optical
adjective
op·ti·cal
ˈäp-ti-kəl
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