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
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, Chinese laser company Appotronics showed off its rival optical engines — including one for color display.
—
Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026
The approach allows delicate atomically thin materials to be shaped without damage, unlocking their potential for high-performance optical systems.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Apr. 2026
Corsair deploys its house-brand optical switches, called OPX Low-Profile, on the Vanguard.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 12 Apr. 2026
For the latest exercise, the teams used quadcopter drones with a suite of highly advanced optical, thermal, long-wave infrared, magnetometers, and computer vision algorithms to relay data to remote Army personnel.
—David Szondy
april 11, New Atlas, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for optical
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Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026
The approach allows delicate atomically thin materials to be shaped without damage, unlocking their potential for high-performance optical systems.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Apr. 2026
Corsair deploys its house-brand optical switches, called OPX Low-Profile, on the Vanguard.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 12 Apr. 2026
For the latest exercise, the teams used quadcopter drones with a suite of highly advanced optical, thermal, long-wave infrared, magnetometers, and computer vision algorithms to relay data to remote Army personnel.
—David Szondy
april 11, New Atlas, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for optical
Cite this Entry
“Optical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optical. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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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