undulatory theory
- noun
- /ˈʌndjʊləˌtɔri ˈθɪəri/
- Archaic
:
teoría ondulatoria
- The undulatory theory explains how light behaves as a wave.
Examples
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According to the undulatory theory, light exhibits wave-like behaviors such as interference and diffraction.
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Newton's particle theory competed with the undulatory theory for acceptance in the scientific community.
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The undulatory theory of light was widely accepted in the 19th century before quantum theory emerged.
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Many scientists support the undulatory theory of light.
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According to the undulatory theory, light exhibits wave-like behaviors such as interference and diffraction.
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The undulatory theory of light was widely accepted in the 19th century before quantum theory emerged.
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Newton's particle theory competed with the undulatory theory for acceptance in the scientific community.
Synonyms
1
5.6
The idea that light and energy move as waves rather than particles
A scientific idea that light moves as waves and makes bright and dark patterns
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly built from the constituents: 'undulatory' = characterized by waves and 'theory' = an explanatory framework, so together they denote a theory about wave phenomena (here, light). This ADJ + theory composition is a regular, compositional pattern (and found across languages), so a learner who knows both words can infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Undulatory theory comes from the word undulatory, which means 'moving in waves', so imagine ripples on a pond. So the name reminds us that the idea says light travels like waves, which makes patterns such as bands of light and dark.