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oculus

oculus

9.9
A part of the body in the head that lets you see
  • noun
  • /ˈɑːkjələs/
translation icon : ojo
  • The oculus allows light to enter the room and brightens the space.

Examples

  • The servant or slave in Laura Dianti seems to be the first surviving image of a serving person of color in an independent European portrait, although sometimes such figures appeared earlier in broader contexts (as in the oculus of Andrea Mantegna's Camera Picta in Mantua).

    Academic text (2015)
  • In ancient Rome, the oculus of the Pantheon is a famous architectural feature that lets in sunlight.

  • She blinked as she looked through the oculus, amazed at the view of the sky.

Synonyms

eye
vsoculus
1.0

A part of the head that detects light and lets you see

is the general term focusing on sight rather than detection details
optic
vsoculus
  • Specialized
70 5.6

The organ in the head that you use to see

has identical meaning but differs in form or usage

Compounds

oculus dexter
  • Specialized
8.8

The right eye of a person

oculus sinister
  • Specialized
9.9

The left eye, especially in medical notes

Surface Forms

oculus singular
oculuses plural
oculi plural

Etymology

Oculus comes from the Latin word oculus, which means 'eye'. You can see the same root in ocular and binocular, so remember oculus as the 'eye' that sees.