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 researchers designed an adiabatic optical transition inside the lantern.
—
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Mar. 2026
The Air is limited to 1x and 2x optical quality, while the Pro models push it out to 8x with optical zoom quality, thanks to the additional telephoto lens.
—Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 2026
Research published in The Journal of Nutrition found that adults who ate 2 ounces of pistachios each day for 12 weeks saw improvements in a marker linked to eye protection called macular pigment optical density.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
The Institute also offers low vision rehabilitation, optical services and emergency eye care.
—Community's Choice Awards, Oklahoman, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for optical
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Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Mar. 2026
The Air is limited to 1x and 2x optical quality, while the Pro models push it out to 8x with optical zoom quality, thanks to the additional telephoto lens.
—Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 2026
Research published in The Journal of Nutrition found that adults who ate 2 ounces of pistachios each day for 12 weeks saw improvements in a marker linked to eye protection called macular pigment optical density.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
The Institute also offers low vision rehabilitation, optical services and emergency eye care.
—Community's Choice Awards, Oklahoman, 7 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 12 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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