compound eye

noun

: an eye (as of an insect) made up of many separate visual units

Examples of compound eye in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Despite the size disparity, most isopods share a resemblance, with common features like two pairs of antenna, segmented bodies, compound eyes and four sets of jaws, according to NOAA. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025 Each of these displays consists of an array of tiny lenses, not unlike an insect's compound eyes. Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 18 Jan. 2025 Both broods of cicadas are large-bodied, have large compound eyes, and are sometimes mistakenly called locusts, said the University of Illinois. Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 17 Apr. 2024 Their compound eyes were likely capable of detecting changes in light within the murky depths. Scott Travers, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024 The compound eye found in most insects is made up of a few to thousands of individual units called ommatidia, and each ommatidium includes a rhabdom, a transparent structure under the lens, which stores photosensitive pigments known as opsins that are used for detecting colors. Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024 Zayn Malik Postpones Shows, Cowell And Cole React The shrimp’s compound eyes (ours are only simple—they aren’t made up of other eyes like compound eyes are) are also set on stalks that can move independently of each other, which gives them a nearly 360-degree view of their surroundings. Scott Travers, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 The data group is developing a compound eye in computer. Richard Meng, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024 Though soft tissue was not preserved, spherical outlines suggest an eye on each side of the head, though whether these were compound eyes is unknown. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 11 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of compound eye was in 1836

Dictionary Entries Near compound eye

Cite this Entry

“Compound eye.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compound%20eye. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

compound eye

noun
: an eye (as of an insect) made up of many separate visual units

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