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
Hubble launched in 1990 as a pioneering optical space telescope, and has since delivered incredible images and major contributions to our understanding of the cosmos.
—
Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 26 Apr. 2024
But the trance-inducing recording of an anonymous basement hallway also marked a new investigation into how images could be created and transformed with more aggressive, optical effects.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for optical 
Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 26 Apr. 2024
But the trance-inducing recording of an anonymous basement hallway also marked a new investigation into how images could be created and transformed with more aggressive, optical effects.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for optical
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'optical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near optical
Cite this Entry
“Optical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optical. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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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