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Glite Dictionary
Wollaston prism

Wollaston prism

9.9
Two clear crystal prisms joined together to make light that vibrates in one direction
  • noun
  • /ˈwɒləsˌtɒn ˈprɪzəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : prisma de Wollaston
  • A Wollaston prism was used in the experiment to split the light beam into two polarized rays.

Examples

  • The microscope is equipped with a Wollaston prism for advanced optical analysis.

  • In the laboratory, a Wollaston prism was used to create plane-polarized light for the optical experiment.

  • Scientists prefer the Wollaston prism for producing plane-polarized light in their studies.

  • The Wollaston prism is essential for producing polarized light.

  • Have you ever used a Wollaston prism in your experiments?

  • Researchers utilized a Wollaston prism to achieve accurate polarization in their light analysis.

  • The new optical setup included a Wollaston prism to ensure the light was properly polarized.

Surface Forms

Wollaston prism singular
Wollaston prisms plural

Morphology

Wollaston + prism

‘Wollaston’ is an eponym/proper name without independent lexical meaning, while ‘prism’ clearly denotes an optical device, so a learner who knows both words can infer this is a particular kind of prism. The specific technical function (two calcite prisms cemented to produce plane‑polarized light) is specialized and not predictable from the constituents, making the expression only partially transparent to B1 learners.

Etymology

The noun Wollaston prism is named after the scientist William Hyde Wollaston. He joined two crystal prism pieces so a beam of light splits into two rays with different directions. This two-prism design produces 'plane-polarized light', so the name refers to a device that makes that kind of light.