Refract

Pronunciation: /rɪˈfrækt/

Definitions of refract

verb to change the direction of a wave, such as light, sound, or heat, as it passes from one medium to another

Example Sentences

A1 Light can refract when it passes through water.

A2 The glass prism refracted the sunlight into a rainbow.

B1 The doctor used a lens to refract the light and examine the patient's eye.

B2 The diamond's cut was designed to refract light in a way that enhances its sparkle.

C1 The artist used a special technique to refract the colors in the painting, creating a unique effect.

C2 Scientists study how different materials refract light in order to develop new technologies.

Examples of refract in a Sentence

formal The light rays refract as they pass through the prism.

informal The straw in the glass looks bent because the water refracts the light.

slang Dude, did you see how the car's headlights refracted off the wet road?

figurative Her emotions seemed to refract through her words, revealing her true feelings.

Grammatical Forms of refract

• past tense: refracted
• plural: refracts
• comparative: more refractive
• superlative: most refractive
• present tense: refracts
• future tense: will refract
• perfect tense: have refracted
• continuous tense: is refracting
• singular: refract
• positive degree: refract
• infinitive: to refract
• gerund: refracting
• participle: refracting

Origin and Evolution of refract

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'refract' originated from the Latin word 'refractare', meaning to break up or bend back.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'refract' has evolved to specifically refer to the bending of light or sound waves as they pass from one medium to another, such as from air to glass.