refract
/rɪˈfrækt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To make light, heat, or sound bend as it passes through a different material. Glass and water can refract light.
- The prism refracted the sunlight.
- Water refracts light differently than air.
- The glass refracted the image slightly.
Adinary Nuance
Refract is more specific than bend. Use it for light, sound, or waves changing direction in a material. It is also more technical than reflect, which means light bounces back instead of passing through. In science writing, refract is the precise choice.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- khúc xạ
- Spanish
- refractar
- Chinese
- 折射
- Japanese
- 屈折させる
- Korean
- 굴절시키다
Etymology
Refract comes from Latin refract-, from refringere, meaning "break back." It entered English in the 1500s, first in scientific writing.
Common phrases
refract lightrefract through waterrefract a beam
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is refract a scientific word?
- Yes. It is commonly used in science, especially physics and optics.
- What is the difference between refract and reflect?
- Refract means bend as it passes through something. Reflect means bounce back from a surface.
- Can I use refract in everyday English?
- Yes, but it sounds technical. People use it most in science and academic writing.