prism

C1 Topic:Science & Research

US /ˈprɪzəm/ UK /ˈprɪz(ə)m/ See IPA manual

Freq #23725

Meanings

1

noun
a transparent optical element with flat faces that refracts light, often separating it into colors

A glass prism split the white beam into a visible spectrum.
2

noun
geometry: a solid with two congruent parallel polygonal bases joined by parallelogram faces

The package has the shape of a triangular prism.
3

noun
a perspective or medium through which something is viewed or interpreted

The memoir examines childhood through the prism of adult regret.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a transparent optical... optical prism

2 noun · geometry: a solid with two... prismatic solid

3 noun · a perspective or medium... lens perspective

Word family

Forms prismaticprisms

Derived forms prismaticprismaticallyantiprism

Related forms refraction spectrumpolyhedronoptics

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

prism spectroscope
an optical instrument that uses a prism to separate light for spectral examination

Noun + noun

Etymology

A learned borrowing from Late Latin prisma, from Greek prisma ("something sawn; a prism"), formed from prizein ("to saw"). The geometric name refers to a solid as if cut by parallel planes; optics adopted it for similarly shaped transparent elements.

Topics

Science & Research

External links

# prism

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈprɪzəm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈprɪz(ə)m/
**Frequency rank:** 23725

## Meanings
1. a transparent optical element with flat faces that refracts light, often separating it into colors
2. geometry: a solid with two congruent parallel polygonal bases joined by parallelogram faces
3. a perspective or medium through which something is viewed or interpreted

## Examples
- A glass prism split the white beam into a visible spectrum.
- The package has the shape of a triangular prism.
- The memoir examines childhood through the prism of adult regret.

## Synonyms
- optical prism
- lens
- perspective

## Derived Forms
- prismatic
- prismatically
- antiprism

## Related Forms
- refraction
- spectrum
- polyhedron
- optics

## Etymology
A learned borrowing from Late Latin prisma, from Greek prisma ("something sawn; a prism"), formed from prizein ("to saw"). The geometric name refers to a solid as if cut by parallel planes; optics adopted it for similarly shaped transparent elements.

## Topics
- Science & Research

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