the plane-polarized ray of light that does not obey the laws of refraction in a doubly refracting crystal
Compare double refraction, ordinary ray
extraordinary ray in American English
noun
Optics & Crystallography
the part of a doubly refracted ray that has changed speed and vibrations in the principal plane of the crystal
Word origin
[1870–75]This word is first recorded in the period 1870–75. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Victorian, giveaway, linkage, upgrade, washout