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achromatic lens

achromatic lens

6.9
A lens made of more than one part that reduces color blur in camera images
  • noun
  • /ˌeɪkrəˈmætɪk lɛnz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : lente acromática
  • By applying the principles of optics, the engineer designed an achromatic lens to improve the quality of images in telescopes.

Examples

  • An achromatic lens helps photographers eliminate blurriness caused by chromatic aberration when taking pictures.

  • Removing this property of the lens can only be achieved by joining two lenses together, which absorb and disperse light, resulting in an achromatic lens.

    Academic text (2000)
  • I just installed a brand-new achromatic lens on my cereal box refracting telescope.

  • The scientist used an achromatic lens to capture clear images without color distortion during her observations.

Synonyms

achromat
vsachromatic lens
  • Specialized
9.9

A person who cannot see colors and sees only shades of gray

describes a multi-element optical assembly made to reduce chromatic aberration

How Corrected

apochromat
  • Specialized
9.9
achromatic lens
  • Specialized
6.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

achromatic + lens

The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'achromatic' (without or minimizing color) modifies 'lens' (an optical device), so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a lens that reduces or eliminates color distortion. This follows a regular, cross-linguistically common modifier pattern, making the meaning directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Achromatic lens comes from the parts a- (meaning 'without') and chromatic (meaning 'color'). Lens makers put different kinds of glass together so the colors of light cancel and you do not see rainbow edges, so the name describes a lens that makes images 'without color' distortion.