diffract

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   of a wave or particle beam, to spread or change direction through interference after meeting an edge, aperture, or periodic structure

   X-rays diffract from the regularly spaced planes of atoms in a crystal.

2. 2
   verb

   to cause a wave or particle beam to undergo diffraction

   The crystal lattice diffracted the X-rays into a pattern of sharp spots.

Back-formed in English from diffraction. Diffraction comes from New Latin diffractio and Latin diffractus, the past participle of diffringere ("to break apart"), formed from dis- ("apart") + frangere ("to break").

Topics