Laser
/ˈleɪ.zər/noun
A device that produces a narrow, intense beam of coherent light.
Did you know?LASER is an acronym from a 1950s scientific phrase, not an ancient word, but its roots reach back to the Greek word for “gathering” or “collection,” because the device concentrates light into one razor-thin beam.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἀτομός (atomos)
“indivisible, uncuttable”
Ancient Greek
Greek
θερμός (thermos)
“hot”
Ancient Greek
Greek
φῶς (phōs)
“light”
1957
English
laser
“an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”
Modern English
English
laser
“a device that emits a concentrated beam of coherent light”