optical

adjective

op·​ti·​cal ˈäp-ti-kəl 

1

: of or relating to the science of optics

2

a

: of or relating to vision : visual

b

: visible sense 1

optical wavelength

c

: of, relating to, or being objects that emit light in the visible range of frequencies

an optical galaxy

d

: using the properties of light to aid vision

an optical instrument

3

a

: of, relating to, or utilizing light especially instead of other forms of energy

optical microscopy

b

: involving the use of light-sensitive devices to acquire information for a computer

optical character recognition

4

: of or relating to optical art

optically

ˈäp-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of optical

• optic
• visual

Examples of optical in a Sentence

The company manufactures microscopes, telescopes, and other optical instruments.

an optical illusion that fools most people

Recent Examples on the Web

That would mean its offerings would cater to small businesses and restaurants, and amenities like the bakery, food court, optical center and pharmacy would be nixed. — Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026

At the center of the platform is a 400 Gbps silicon photonic transceiver that converts electrical signals into optical signals and back again. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026

Advances in hybrid bonding now allow electronic and photonic chiplets to be manufactured separately, then integrated into a single optical engine that sits beside GPUs or switches. — IEEE Spectrum, 9 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing optical

• electro-optical
• magneto-optical
• optical activity
• optical art
• optical bench
• optical disc
• optical disk
• optical fiber
• optical glass
• optical illusion
• optical rotation

Rhymes for optical

• synoptical

Kids Definition

optical

adjective

op·​ti·​cal ˈäp-ti-kəl 

1

: relating to optics

2

: of or relating to vision

3

a

: of, relating to, or using light

an optical telescope

b

: involving the use of a device that senses light to acquire information for a computer

an optical scanner

optically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

optical

adjective

op·​ti·​cal ˈäp-ti-kəl 

1

: of or relating to the science of optics

2

a

: of or relating to vision : visual

b

: using the properties of light to aid vision

an optical instrument

3

: of, relating to, or utilizing light

optical microscopy