Anaclastic
/ˌæn.əˈklæs.tɪk/noun
Relating to the refraction of light, especially by a lens or surface.
Did you know?Anaclastic was coined in the scientific tradition from Greek roots meaning “to break up” and “to bend,” and it survives as a technical term for how light is refracted through a surface.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
anáklastos
“bent back, reflected”
Late Greek
Greek
anaklastikós
“pertaining to refraction or reflection”
17th Century
English
anaclastick
“a term used in optics for refracting or reflective properties”
Modern English
English
anaclastic
“relating to the refraction of light”