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Examples of diffract in a Sentence
Light is diffracted when it passes through a prism.
Recent Examples on the Web
And crystals were defined as matter that diffracts with these Bragg peaks, with these sharp, bright spots.
—Quanta Magazine, 3 July 2024
Christopher McFadden 24 days ago 0 Science Scientists create thinnest lens in history, measuring only 3 atoms thick
Instead of refraction, the world’s thinnest lens works by diffracting light and that too of specific wavelengths.
—Interesting Engineering, 23 June 2024
As a result, some of the diffracting light inside the crystal interferes destructively.
—Susumu Noda, IEEE Spectrum, 14 Apr. 2024
This was bolstered by Max Von Laue's Nobel Prize-winning discovery that crystals could diffract x-rays.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 Dec. 2023
For example, a diffractive optical neural network is composed of a stack of layers, each possessing thousands of pixels that can diffract, or scatter, light.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 July 2022
The starburst is created by sunlight diffracting into uniform rays on the camera’s sensor.
—Kevin Ambrose, Washington Post, 7 May 2023
For example, a diffractive optical neural network is composed of a stack of layers, each possessing thousands of pixels that can diffract, or scatter, light.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 July 2022
The telescope sits right on the edge of the sunflower’s shadow, where the petals bend and diffract the few photons of light that get through.
—Chris Wright, Wired, 4 Jan. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'diffract.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
back-formation from diffraction
First Known Use
1803, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near diffract
Cite this Entry
“Diffract.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diffract. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
diffract
verb
dif·fract
dif-ˈrakt
: to cause to go through diffraction
Medical Definition
diffract
transitive verb
dif·fract
dif-ˈrakt
: to cause to undergo diffraction
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