optical

[op-ti-kuh l] /ˈɒp tɪ kəl/

adjective

of, pertaining to, or applying optics or the principles of optics.

constructed to assist sight or to correct defects in vision.

of or pertaining to sight or vision; visual.

of or pertaining to the eye.

of or pertaining to an optician or opticians or to their products, especially eyeglasses:

an optical service.

dealing with or skilled in optics.

noun

Origin

1560-70; optic + -al¹

Related forms

optically, adverb

nonoptical, adjective

nonoptically, adverb

suboptical, adjective

suboptically, adverb

Examples from the web for optical

optical processing is expected to have applications for the military and for industrial robot vision systems.
It uses paper ballots which are scanned by an optical reader.
Scientists use optical illusions to study how the brain allows itself to be tricked.
Yet optical networks are not a completely new development.
Making super thin laptops isn't the only thing you can do when you ditch bulky optical drives.
Lasers may send information flying in tiny bursts of light through optical fibers across oceans and cities.
Many laser printers use an optical sensor to measure toner levels.
The nerve bundles, which are presumed to be light-sensitive, transmit the optical information to the rest of the nervous system.
In the next step, the possible malfunction accounting for the optical phenomena is noted.
Rapid, unconscious eye movements explain a famous optical illusion in which a still image appears to move.

British Dictionary definitions for optical

/ˈɒptɪkəl/

adjective

of, relating to, producing, or involving light

of or relating to the eye or to the sense of sight; optic

(esp of a lens) aiding vision or correcting a visual disorder

Derived Forms

optically, adverb

Word Origin and History for optical

adj.

1560s, from optic + -al (1). Of abstract art, from 1964. Related: Optically.

optical in Science

optical

(ŏp'tĭ-kəl)