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
Radio telescopes detect low-energy radio waves, rather than high-energy visible light or heat that can destroy the optical components of telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope.
—
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
An optical-first keystone design is only one part of the projector's full optical image optimization suite.
—Paul Ridden
may 01, New Atlas, 1 May 2026
While mice are mostly optical now (instead of using balls), dust can still stick on the buttons.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Other important aspects are largely engineering-related, such as reliability, drift, durability of the soft surface, and resistance to interference from magnetic, optical, or environmental factors.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for optical
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Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
An optical-first keystone design is only one part of the projector's full optical image optimization suite.
—Paul Ridden
may 01, New Atlas, 1 May 2026
While mice are mostly optical now (instead of using balls), dust can still stick on the buttons.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Other important aspects are largely engineering-related, such as reliability, drift, durability of the soft surface, and resistance to interference from magnetic, optical, or environmental factors.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 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 5 May. 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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