Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun That branch of the science of optics which explains the properties of incident and reflected light, and particularly the principles of reflection from mirrors or polished surfaces.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Physics) That part of optics which explains the properties and phenomena of reflected light, and particularly that which is reflected from mirrors or polished bodies; -- formerly called
anacamptics .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Plural form of
catoptric .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun branch of optics dealing with formation of images by mirrors
Etymologies
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Examples
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Whatever the reasons, the fact is that considerable progress had already been made in both catoptrics, the study of reflected light, and dioptrics, the study of refraction.
Dictionary of the History of Ideas WILLIAM A. WALLACE 1968
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The law of reflection was known as early as the time of Euclid, about 320 b.c., and to this geometrician was attributed, although probably erroneously, a "Treatise on Mirrors", in which the principles of catoptrics were correctly set forth.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 12: Philip II-Reuss 1840-1916 1913
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30 This case contradicts a received principle in catoptrics
A Essay Towards a New Theory of Vision George Berkeley 1719
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