optical aberration
- noun
- /ˈɑptɪkəl ˌæbəˈreɪʃən/
- Specialized
:
aberración óptica
- Astronomers must correct optical aberration in telescopes to ensure they capture sharp images of distant stars.
Examples
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In comparison to the huge investment already made in HST, the effort involved in correcting the optical aberrations is fairly small.
Academic text (1990) -
There are two classes of image quality detractors: optical aberrations and interactions between the beam electrons. They cause deviations of the individual electron trajectories from the ideal ones determined by the laws of Gaussian optics.
Academic text (2001) -
The optical aberrations are a consequence of the shape of the (in the present context, primarily magnetic) fields of the optical elements, lenses, and deflectors.
Academic text (2001) -
The camera lens had an optical aberration, which made all the photos look blurry.
-
To achieve clearer images, we need to reduce the optical aberration caused by the faulty lens.
Synonyms
26
5.0
A change in shape or appearance that makes things look less accurate
3
7.5
An uneven curve in the eye that makes vision blurred or distorted
3
8.4
A fault in a lens or mirror that makes images look wrong
A problem with the eye or a lens that makes images look blurred and stretched
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'optical' (relating to light/vision or optical devices) simply specifies the domain of 'aberration' (a deviation or distortion). This pattern is literal and cross-linguistically common (e.g. Spanish 'aberración óptica'), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the meaning as a defect/distortion in a lens or mirror.
Etymology
Optical aberration comes from the image of light not going the right way through a lens: optical is about light and aberration means something going off course. When the light 'wanders' and the picture gets fuzzy, the phrase means a 'defect' in a lens or mirror that stops a 'clear image'.