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Glite Dictionary
scotopic vision

scotopic vision

8.2
To see in very low light, for example at night
  • noun
  • /ˌskɒtəpɪk ˈvɪʒən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : visión escotópica
  • Impaired scotopic vision makes mobility at night and in dim illumination difficult.

Examples

  • Animals, such as owls, rely on their scotopic vision to hunt effectively in the dark.

  • During the test, we evaluated how well participants could adapt to scotopic vision in near-total darkness.

  • Many nocturnal creatures have developed scotopic vision that allows them to see clearly when light is scarce.

Synonyms

night vision
vsscotopic vision
11 3.8

Ability to see in low light or darkness

refers more narrowly to very low light rather than general low light
night-sight
vsscotopic vision
5.9

Being able to see in low light, for example at night

is the technical scientific term for that very low light ability
twilight vision
vsscotopic vision
6.9

To see well in low light, for example at dusk or in moonlight

applies to much darker, very low light situations rather than milder reduced light

Antonyms

daylight vision
  • Specialized
4.0

Sight in bright light when the eye sees colors and fine detail

How Well

scotopic vision
  • Specialized
8.2
night vision
11 3.8
night blindness
  • Specialized
3 4.7

Surface Forms

scotopic vision singular
scotopic visions plural

Morphology

scotopic + vision

The meaning 'ability to see in very low light' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'scotopic' (relating to seeing in low light) with 'vision' (visual capacity). Although 'scotopic' is a technical term, the adjective+noun composition follows normal semantics, so a learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Scotopic vision comes from an old word for 'darkness' and gives a simple picture: scotopic means dark and vision means seeing. So it means 'ability to see in very low light'.