prismatic

adjective

pris·​mat·​ic priz-ˈma-tik How to pronounce prismatic (audio)
1
: relating to, resembling, or constituting a prism
2
a
: formed by a prism
b
: resembling the colors formed by refraction of light through a prism
prismatic effects
3
: highly colored : brilliant
prismatic lyrics
4
: having such symmetry that a general form with faces cutting all axes at unspecified intercepts is a prism
prismatic crystals
prismatically adverb

Examples of prismatic in a Sentence

with its prismatic plumage, the ruby-throated hummingbird is one of our garden's most prized visitors
Recent Examples on the Web The resulting film is effective both as a raw family therapy session (albeit with only one member present), and as a prismatic study of performance and cinema as subjective conduits of reality. Guy Lodge, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 This very bright, colorful, prismatic, mercurial character is dropped down in the middle of the black and white and gray world of New York City police procedurals. Adam B. Vary, Variety, 1 Mar. 2024 Past research involving prismatic spectacles (glasses with stick-on overlays that cause distortions and displacement) suggests that people can adapt to significant visual disturbances, Ratan says. Lauren Leffer, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2024 The British Academy's judgements are sometimes in agreement with those of the American Academy, and occasionally in diametric opposition — which is precisely their prismatic value as an Oscars handicapping tool. Guy Martin, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 The 80-minute performance, narrated by Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins, takes place on a massive 360-degree prismatic stage, but that’s just the beginning. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 12 Feb. 2024 The interior has a very Dallas-meets-Los-Angeles sort of feel, with its dramatic high ceilings, light reflecting chandeliers, prismatic artwork, and LED lighting across 3,890 square feet. Tj MacIas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2024 The battery, mounted under the floor and protected from underside damage by a fiberglass-composite skid plate, consists of 12 modules, each with 15 prismatic cells connected in series, and has a cooling plate in its housing. Angus MacKenzie, Robb Report, 25 Jan. 2024 Step into a prismatic world constructed of recycled and salvaged materials and created by artist and historian Ashley Saunders, a fifth-generation local. Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 24 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prismatic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prismatic was in 1668

Dictionary Entries Near prismatic

Cite this Entry

“Prismatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prismatic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

prismatic

adjective
pris·​mat·​ic priz-ˈmat-ik How to pronounce prismatic (audio)
1
: relating to, resembling, or constituting a prism
2
: formed by a prism
3
: having such symmetry that a general form with faces cutting all axes at unspecified intercepts is a prism
prismatic crystals
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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