hologram

noun

ho·​lo·​gram ˈhō-lə-ˌgram  ˈhä- 

: a three-dimensional image reproduced from a pattern of interference produced by a split coherent beam of radiation (such as a laser)

also : the pattern of interference itself

Did you know?

A hologram is a picture of a "whole" object, showing it in three dimensions. We've all seen cheap hologram images on credit cards and ID cards (where they help prevent copying). Far more impressive are large holograms that take the form of a ghostly 3-D moving figure that you can walk around to see from all angles. Holograms were invented in 1947 but only perfected after the invention of the laser in 1960. Today they're used in such technologies as compact-disc players and checkout scanners, and holograms can be created of the inside of live internal organs to permit doctors to examine the organs in great detail. And soon televisions with hologram technology may enable us to watch in "3-D".

Examples of hologram in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Beams of light can be twisted to form optical vortices that take a similar shape; optical vortices are often used for wireless transmission of data, the creation of holograms, and numerous other applications. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025

For a typical user, holograms are in fact just stereographic video projections. —IEEE Spectrum, 9 Feb. 2025

The hologram only relies on primary sources, Trent said. —Steph Solis, Axios, 1 Feb. 2025

The result is a pulsating world filled with intricate rituals, mind control and menacing holograms. —Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 1 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

holo- + -gram

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hologram

• abraham
• anagram
• cablegram
• cofferdam
• dendrogram
• diagram
• diaphragm
• epigram
• hexagram
• histogram
• instagram
• kilogram

Kids Definition

hologram

noun

ho·​lo·​gram ˈhō-lə-ˌgram  ˈhäl-ə- 

: a three-dimensional picture made by a complex pattern of light (as laser light)

Medical Definition

hologram

noun

ho·​lo·​gram ˈhō-lə-ˌgram  ˈhäl-ə- 

: a three-dimensional image reproduced from a pattern of interference produced by a split coherent beam of radiation (as from a laser)

also : the pattern of interference itself