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)

wk. (oh) and diffraction (iou)


wk. (oh)



also wk BrE
the written abbreviation of week

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.