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 announcement is sparking a rally across optical names, with Corning, Lumentum , and Coherent some of the biggest gainers.
—
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026
Sign up for an evening star party to learn about the night sky and look through the observatory’s optical aids.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 23 Mar. 2026
These setups rely on ultra-precise optical transitions, allowing atoms to emit light with remarkable stability over long periods.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 21 Mar. 2026
The TriFold’s optical image stabilization ensures steady videos.
—Iyaz Akhtar, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for optical
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Jeff Marks, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2026
Sign up for an evening star party to learn about the night sky and look through the observatory’s optical aids.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 23 Mar. 2026
These setups rely on ultra-precise optical transitions, allowing atoms to emit light with remarkable stability over long periods.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 21 Mar. 2026
The TriFold’s optical image stabilization ensures steady videos.
—Iyaz Akhtar, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 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 25 Mar. 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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