Scotopic
/skəˈtoʊ.pɪk/noun
Relating to vision in very dim light, primarily mediated by the eye’s rod cells.
Did you know?Scotopic vision is essentially colorless: in darkness, rod cells dominate, making blue-green light appear relatively brighter than red through the Purkinje shift.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
σκότος (skótos)
“Darkness or gloom”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὀπτικός (optikós)
“Relating to sight or vision”
19th Century
Scientific Greek
scot- + -opic
“A technical formation combining darkness with vision”
1911
English
scotopic
“Relating to vision under conditions of low illumination”
Modern English
English
scotopic
“Describing rod-dominated vision in dim or dark environments”
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