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Glite Dictionary
bifocal

bifocal

1 6.1
Having two lens powers in glasses, one for near and one for far vision
  • adjective
  • /ˈbaɪˌfoʊkəl/
translation icon : bifocal
  • Rowley's black eyes were disconcertingly shrewd behind their old-fashioned bifocal lenses.
  • bifocal lenses

So The Crusaders behave in this apparently bifocal way.

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Examples

  • It's definitely a modern-day bifocal lens.

    Timeline (2003)

  • His eyes, strengthened by bifocal lenses, were as reliable as always.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • So honestly, I've got bifocal glasses as I can see in the distance and I can't see close up either.

    Wayne Goss

  • Most seniors wear eyeglasses with bifocal or trifocal lenses.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Many older adults find it helpful to wear bifocal glasses for both reading and seeing at a distance.

  • She chose bifocal lenses to make reading her favorite books easier without having to switch glasses.

  • With bifocal lenses, he could easily transition between reading the menu and looking across the room.

Synonyms

multifocal
vsbifocal
  • Specialized
6.7

A lens with more than one focus to help see near and far

has exactly two focal points for near and distant vision

How Many Foci

multifocal
  • Specialized
6.7
trifocal
  • Specialized
1 6.8
bifocal
1 6.1

Surface Forms

bifocal positive

Morphology

bifocal = focal (transparent) = bi + focal

The prefix 'bi-' clearly indicates two, and 'focal' relates to focus, making the meaning straightforward.

Etymology

Bifocal comes from the Latin parts bi- meaning 'two' and focus meaning 'center' or 'point'. So a bifocal lens has 'two points' for seeing near and far, which is why the word describes glasses with two different strengths.