bifocal

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adjective bi·fo·cal \ ˈbī-ˌfō-kəl \

Definition of bifocal

1 :having two focal lengths

2 :having one part that corrects for near vision and one for distant vision

a bifocal eyeglass lens

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Recent Examples of bifocal from the Web

Adair wore his bifocal sunglasses and a navy blue baseball cap.

— jeff maysh, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Cop Who Became a Robber," 22 Aug. 2017
Each time, my cloudy natural lens was replaced with an artificial, bifocal one.

— gayle carline, Orange County Register, "What a Day: Blinded by the light, and the eye doctor," 6 Jan. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bifocal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of bifocal

International Scientific Vocabulary

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First Known Use: 1826

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bifocal

noun

Definition of bifocal

1 bifocals plural :eyeglasses with bifocal lenses

2 :a bifocal glass or lens

Recent Examples of bifocal from the Web

This scene—though nowhere captured in the familiar imagery of Franklin flying his kite and inventing bifocals—was, in its day, as significant as that of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

— adam gopnik, The New Yorker, "We Could Have Been Canada," 15 May 2017
But the days of popping reading glasses on and off or constantly shifting your gaze through bifocals may be numbered.

— emily matchar, Smithsonian, "These “Smart Glasses” Adjust To Your Vision Automatically," 9 Feb. 2017
Mr. Marshall, a soft-spoken, professorial man with a salt-and-pepper beard and bifocals hanging around his neck, doesn’t carry himself like a firebrand.

— randy kennedy, New York Times, "Kerry James Marshall, Boldly Repainting Art History," 9 Sep. 2016

First Known Use of bifocal

1896

BIFOCAL Defined for English Language Learners

bifocal

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adjective

Definition of bifocal for English Language Learners

of eyeglasses : divided into two parts that help a person to see things that are nearby and things that are far away

Medical Dictionary

bifocal

play

adjective bi·fo·cal \ (ˈ)bī-ˈfō-kəl \

medical Definition of bifocal

1 :having two focal lengths

2 :having one part that corrects for near vision and one for distant vision

a bifocal eyeglass lens

bifocal

noun

medical Definition of bifocal

1 :a bifocal glass or lens

2 bifocals plural :eyeglasses with bifocal lenses

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See words that rhyme with bifocal Spanish Central: Translation of bifocal

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Recent Examples of bifocal from the Web

Origin and Etymology of bifocal

bifocal

Definition of bifocal

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First Known Use of bifocal

BIFOCAL Defined for English Language Learners

bifocal

Definition of bifocal for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

bifocal

medical Definition of bifocal

bifocal

medical Definition of bifocal

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