Standard Lemma guide

refraction

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɹəˈfɹækʃən/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ækʃən

1

noun

Meaning 1

The turning or bending of any wave, such as a light or sound wave, when it passes from one medium into another of different optical density.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The degree to which a metal or compound can withstand heat

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: engineering, metallurgy, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

the amount by which a propagating wave is bent

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deflection, deflexion

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bending, bend

4

noun

Meaning 4

the change in direction of a propagating wave (light or sound) when passing from one medium to another

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: physical phenomenon

Narrower terms: double refraction, birefringence

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *wre- Latin re- Proto-Indo-European *bhreg- Proto-Indo-European *-né- Latin frangō Latin refringō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin refrāctiōbor. English refraction Borrowed from Latin refrāctiō.

Across languages

Translations

43 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: refraksie — bending of any wave
  • Bulgarian: пречупване (prečupvane) — bending of any wave
  • Catalan: refracció — bending of any wave
  • Chinese Mandarin: 折射 (zhéshè) — bending of any wave
  • Czech: lom — bending of any wave
  • Czech: refrakce — bending of any wave
  • Danish: brydning — bending of any wave
  • Danish: refraktion — bending of any wave
  • Dutch: refractie — bending of any wave
  • Esperanto: refrakto — bending of any wave
  • Finnish: taittuminen — bending of any wave
  • French: réfraction — bending of any wave
  • German: Brechung — bending of any wave
  • German: Refraktion — bending of any wave
  • Greek: διάθλαση (diáthlasi) — bending of any wave
  • Hebrew: שבירה (sh'virá) — bending of any wave
  • Hindi: अपवर्तन (apvartan) — bending of any wave
  • Hungarian: fénytörés — bending of any wave
  • Hungarian: refrakció — bending of any wave
  • Icelandic: ljósbrot — bending of any wave
  • Ido: refrakto — bending of any wave
  • Indonesian: refraksi — bending of any wave
  • Indonesian: pembiasan — bending of any wave
  • Italian: rifrazione — bending of any wave
  • Japanese: 屈折 (kussetsu) — bending of any wave
  • Korean: 굴절 (guljeol) — bending of any wave
  • Malay: pembiasan — bending of any wave
  • Malayalam: അപവർത്തനം (apavaṟttanaṁ) — bending of any wave
  • Manx: aascellaght — bending of any wave
  • Māori: hakokotanga — bending of any wave
  • Māori: whakahakokotanga — bending of any wave
  • Polish: refrakcja — bending of any wave
  • Portuguese: refração — bending of any wave
  • Romanian: refracție — bending of any wave
  • Russian: преломле́ние (prelomlénije) — bending of any wave
  • Russian: рефра́кция (refrákcija) — bending of any wave
  • Spanish: refracción — bending of any wave
  • Swedish: refraktion — bending of any wave
  • Tagalog: saliko — bending of any wave
  • Telugu: వక్రీభవనము (vakrībhavanamu) — bending of any wave
  • Thai: การหักเห (gaan-hàk-hěe) — bending of any wave
  • Turkish: kırılma — bending of any wave
  • Turkish: kırılım — bending of any wave
Real reading context

refraction in complete knowledge articles