Stereopticon
/ˌstɛr.i.ˈɒp.tɪ.kən/noun
An early projection lantern or slide projector, especially one used for showing photographic slides.
Did you know?Its name is built from Greek roots meaning “solid” and “to see,” so the device’s very word sounds like a magical instrument for making images appear out of thin air.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
stereos
“solid, firm, hard”
Ancient Greek
Greek
optikos
“of sight, visual”
Late 19th Century
English
stereopticon
“a lantern projector for showing transparent slides or photographic images”
Modern English
English
stereopticon
“a historical term for an early slide projector”