See Also: diffraction(encyclopedia)
diffraction(dictionary)
Diffraction(health)
X-ray diffraction(medicine)
X-ray diffraction(encyclopedia)
Diffraction(medicine)
diffraction grating(medicine)
grating, diffraction(medicine)
optical diffraction(medicine)
electron diffraction(medicine)

diffraction (iou)



diffraction noun. L17.
[French, or mod. Latin diffractio(n-), from Latin diffract- pa. ppl stem of diffringere break in pieces, formed as DIF- + frangere break: see -ION.]
The breaking up of a beam of light into a transverse series of dark and light bands or coloured spectra by the edge of an opaque body or a narrow aperture; an analogous phenomenon with other waves; the spreading of waves of any kind by the edge of an obstacle.
Comb.: diffraction grating a plate of glass or polished metal ruled with very close equidistant parallel lines, producing a spectrum by diffraction and subsequent interference of the transmitted or reflected light. diffraction pattern the pattern formed by light, X-rays, etc., after diffraction, esp. by a crystal.