diffraction
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diffraction
- /dɪˈfɹækʃən/
Where it comes from
From New Latin diffrāctiō (in which coined by Francesco Maria Grimaldi), from Latin diffrāctus, past participle of Latin diffringo (“to shatter, to break into pieces”). Coined in Physico-mathesis de lumine (1665) by Francesco Maria Grimaldi.
noun diffractions
- The bending of a wave around an obstacle.
- The breaking up of an electromagnetic wave as it passes a geometric structure (e.g. a slit), followed by reconstruction of the wave by interference.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: x-ray, crystallographic, limited, deflection, interference, refraction, diffusion, scattering, dispersion, fanning, splaying, separation, splitting, deviation, divergence, spreading
Translations
Every language
noun the breaking up of an electromagnetic wave as it passes a geometric structure
| Español | difracción |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 衍射 yǎnshè, 繞射 /绕射 ràoshè |
| हिन्दी | विवर्तन vivartan |
| Français | diffraction |
| Deutsch | Beugung |
| Italiano | diffrazione |
| Ελληνικά | διάθλαση diáthlasi |
| Русский | дифра́кция difrákcija |
| Tiếng Việt | nhiễu xạ |
Talk about this word "diffraction." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/diffraction. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. diffraction. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/diffraction "diffraction." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/diffraction.Cite this
@misc{diffraction_2026,
title = {diffraction},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/diffraction},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
