diffractiveadj.
/dᵻˈfraktɪv/, U.S. /dəˈfræktɪv/ Tending to cause diffraction; involving diffraction.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > light > diffraction > [adjective] > tending to
diffractive1827
1827 Q. Jrnl. Sci., Lit., & Art Jan. 141 It supersedes every idea of the operation of a diffractive force, which might be supposed capable of expanding the beams of light in some places, and condensing them upon others.
1829 T. Carlyle in Foreign Rev. 3 419 Through whatever dim, besmoked, and strangely diffractive media it may shine.
1911 Science 29 Dec. 895/2 We may employ the dispersive power of refracting media or the diffractive power of reflecting media.
2011 A. Lipson et al. Optical Physics (ed. 4) iii. 76 The only reason that the image is not an ideal point is diffractive broadening resulting from the limited aperture.
Derivatives
diˈffractively adv. in a diffractive manner; by or as regards diffraction.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > light > diffraction > [adverb]
diffractively1848
1848 J. B. Stallo Philos. of Nature ii. 231 The totality of mind appears in man; but its individual activities are diffractively exposed in as many individual forms.
1883 W. B. Carpenter in Encycl. Brit. XVI. 268/2 at Microscope A marked distinction between..objectives of low or moderate power..worked dioptically, and those of high power..worked diffractively.
2013 H. I. Bjelkhagen & D. Brotherton-Ratcliffe Ultra-realistic Imaging xi. 392 The transmission hologram might well be fundamentally less diffractively efficient than the reflection hologram.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1827