prism
nounUK /ˈpɹɪz(ə)m/ · US /ˈpɹɪzəm/
Etymology Learned borrowing from Late Latin prisma (“(geometry) prism”), from Ancient Greek πρίσμᾰ (prísmă, “anything sawn; sawdust; (Koine, geometry) prism”), from πρῐ́ζω (prĭ́zō) (a variant of πρῑ́ω (prī́ō, “to saw”), further etymology unknown) + -μᾰ (-mă, suffix forming neuter nouns denoting the effect or result of an action, etc.).
7 senses
- 1An object having the shape of a geometrical prism (sense 1).
- 2A cutting (“open passage at a level lower than the…
- 3A crystal in which the faces are parallel to the vertical axis.
- 4A transparent block in the shape of a prism (sense 1)…
- 5A spectrum produced by light being refracted through a prism.
- 6A retroreflector (“device which reflects light back to…
- 7A perspective that colours one's perception.
› A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same…
Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences An object having the shape of a geometrical prism (sense 1).
Business, Construction, Geometry, Manufacturing, Mathematics, Sciences A cutting (“open passage at a level lower than the surrounding terrain, dug for a canal, railway, or road to go through”) or an embankment shaped like a prism (sense 1) or a number of prisms, such that its volume can be easily calculated.
Chemistry, Crystallography, Geometry, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A crystal in which the faces are parallel to the vertical axis.
Engineering, Geometry, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Optics, Physical sciences, Physics, Sciences A transparent block in the shape of a prism (sense 1), typically with triangular ends, used to reflect or refract light.
- [page 13] One of theſe Parts [of a piece of black paper] I painted vvith a red Colour and the other vvith a blevv. […] This Paper I vievved through a Priſm of ſolid Glaſs, vvhoſe tvvo Sides through vvhich the Light paſſed to the Eye vvere plane and vvell poliſhed, and contained an Angle of about Sixty Degrees: vvhich Angle I call the refracting Angle of the Priſm. […] [page 17] Theſe Experiments may ſuffice for the Colours of Natural Bodies. For in the Colours made by the Refraction of Priſms this Propoſition vvill appear by the Experiments vvhich are novv to follovv in the next Propoſition.1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “[The First Book of Opticks. Part I.] Prop[osition] I. Theor[y] I. Lights which Differ in Colour, Differ also in Degrees of Refrangibility.”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith, and Benj[amin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, pages 13 and 17:
- Here, avvful [Isaac] Newton, the diſſolving clouds / Form, fronting on the ſun, thy ſhovvery priſm; / And to the ſage-inſtructed eye unfold / The various tvvine of light, by thee diſclos'd / From the vvhite mingling maze.a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC, page 10, lines 207–211:
› A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same… › A transparent block in the shape of a prism…
Engineering, Geometry, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Optics, Physical sciences, Physics, Sciences Archaic A spectrum produced by light being refracted through a prism.
- The beams, that thro' the Oriel shine, / Make prisms in every carven glass, […]1842, Alfred Tennyson, “The Day-Dream”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 151:
Geography, Natural sciences, Surveying Broadly A retroreflector (“device which reflects light back to its source with minimal scattering”) which is usually attached to a surveying pole as a target for a total station which emits a light beam at the device and calculates how long it takes to be reflected back in order to measure distance.
Figuratively A perspective that colours one's perception.
- I had surveyed the landscape through the prism of poetry, which tinged every object with the hues of the rainbow.1820 September 13, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Stratford-on-Avon”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number VII, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 87:
- It is a simple fact that many outside the Abu Dhabi-owned club will always view their triumph through the prism of the charges of 115 financial breaches brought against them by the Premier League, charges they fiercely deny.2023 June 10, Phil McNulty, “Manchester City 1 – 0 Inter Milan”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 10 Apr 2024:
- Derived terms
38 terms
antiprism, duoprism, foreprism, gigantoprism, Glan–Foucault prism, Glan–Thompson prism, gonioprism, grism, hyperprism, microprismatic, muscle-prism, muscle prism, nanoprism, Nomarski prism, polyprismane, prismal, prismane, prismate, prismated, prismatic, prismatically, prismatoid, prismatoidal, prismed, prismenchyma, prism glass, prismic, prismless, prismlike, prismodic, prismoid, prismoidal, prism train, prismy, prisoptometer, regular muscle-prism, Sénarmont prism, slab-off prism- Hypernyms
- prismatoid
- Hyponyms
- accretionary prism, Amici prism, biprism, clino-prism, cylinder, Dove prism, hemiprism, hexagonal prism, irregular prism, macroprism, microprism, Nicol prism, orthoprism, pentagonal prism, pentaprism, Porro prism, protoprism, Rochon prism, roof prism, triangular prism, wedge prism, Wollaston prism