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
Each fiber requires optical transceivers and associated hardware.
—
Bhupendra Singh, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Shots are lined up through an optical viewfinder, as the CS-8 even lacks an LCD screen.
—New Atlas, 11 Aug. 2025
Located 5 miles west of St. Ignace, the iconic site boasts of strange optical contradictions and physical sensations, according to the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 9 Aug. 2025
From the beginning, Starlink engineers collaborated with astronomers to reduce the optical impacts of their satellites.
—Emma R. Hasson, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for optical
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Bhupendra Singh, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Shots are lined up through an optical viewfinder, as the CS-8 even lacks an LCD screen.
—New Atlas, 11 Aug. 2025
Located 5 miles west of St. Ignace, the iconic site boasts of strange optical contradictions and physical sensations, according to the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 9 Aug. 2025
From the beginning, Starlink engineers collaborated with astronomers to reduce the optical impacts of their satellites.
—Emma R. Hasson, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 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 20 Aug. 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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