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
Fabric is coated with polypyrrole and polydopamine The fabric is coated with polypyrrole and polydopamine, two polymers with contrasting optical and chemical properties.
—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2026
These radio systems can connect processors 10 to 20 meters apart using a third of the power of optical-fiber cables and at a third of the cost.
—Harry Goldstein, IEEE Spectrum, 1 Jan. 2026
From the initial impressions of a couple of reviewers who've got their hands on the 17 Ultra, the camera capabilities, both in terms of how the optical zoom works to the image quality, appear pretty impressive.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 29 Dec. 2025
Laundry products containing optical brighteners may also fade dark fabrics.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for optical
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Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2026
These radio systems can connect processors 10 to 20 meters apart using a third of the power of optical-fiber cables and at a third of the cost.
—Harry Goldstein, IEEE Spectrum, 1 Jan. 2026
From the initial impressions of a couple of reviewers who've got their hands on the 17 Ultra, the camera capabilities, both in terms of how the optical zoom works to the image quality, appear pretty impressive.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 29 Dec. 2025
Laundry products containing optical brighteners may also fade dark fabrics.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Dec. 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 6 Jan. 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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