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
The projector also boasts 0.9-1.5:1 optical zoom – relatively rare in lifestyle projectors – which helps give this model the installation flexibility edge over digital counterparts.
—
Paul Ridden
june 25, New Atlas, 25 June 2025
Cataract surgery, where a surgeon replaces a clouded optical lens with an artificial one, is a very quick procedure, typically taking less than 15 minutes to perform.
—Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Open source Marco Langbroek is a leading satellite tracker and lecturer in optical space situational awareness at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 23 June 2025
The Flip's optical viewfinder is good for the price.
—PC Magazine, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for optical
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Paul Ridden
june 25, New Atlas, 25 June 2025
Cataract surgery, where a surgeon replaces a clouded optical lens with an artificial one, is a very quick procedure, typically taking less than 15 minutes to perform.
—Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Open source Marco Langbroek is a leading satellite tracker and lecturer in optical space situational awareness at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 23 June 2025
The Flip's optical viewfinder is good for the price.
—PC Magazine, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for optical
Cite this Entry
“Optical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optical. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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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