focal

adjective

fo·​cal ˈfō-kəl 

: of, relating to, being, or having a focus

focally

ˈfō-kə-lē 

adverb

Examples of focal in a Sentence

a focal figure in the movement

Recent Examples on the Web

The city hired a design team for the Southwest Park playground in May 2025, intending for the playground to be a focal piece for the city’s entire suite of parks. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026

Constantly shifting your eyes between different focal depths can cause significant eye fatigue. — New Atlas, 30 July 2026

There are focal walls with metal mesh finishes across both floors. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 23 July 2026

Six years before the finals, Mourning was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a kidney disease that paused his career and led to a transplant from his cousin in 2003. — James Jackson, New York Times, 20 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1676, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing focal

• focal infection
• focal length
• focal plane
• focal point
• focal ratio

Rhymes for focal

• cloacal
• local
• sokol
• vocal
• confocal
• nonlocal
• multifocal
• univocal

Kids Definition

focal

adjective

fo·​cal ˈfō-kəl 

: of, relating to, or having a focus

focally

-kə-lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

focal

adjective

fo·​cal ˈfō-kəl 

: of, relating to, being, or having a focus

focally

-kə-lē 

adverb