optics

What it means

1. pluralsingularnatural sciencesThe physics of light and vision: basic optical science.

   a PhD in the optics of liquid crystals

2. pluralsingularTechnology that makes use of such physics: applied optical science; business lines making use of such technology.

   defense R&D investments in both optics and electronics

3. pluralsingularThe light-related aspects of a device.

   The optics of this telescope are particularly good.

   2 more examples

   the optics of liquid crystals under certain laboratory conditions

   Digging deeper, the invention of eyeglasses is an elaboration of the more fundamental development of optics technology. The ability of a segment of a glass sphere to magnify whatever is placed before it was known around the year 1000, when the spherical segment was called a reading stone,[…].

   2013 September-October, Henry Petroski, “The Evolution of Eyeglasses”, in American Scientist

In a sentence

a PhD in the optics of liquid crystals

Where it comes from

1. Ancient Greekὀπτικός
2. Medieval Latinopticus“optic, optical”
3. Englishoptics

From Medieval Latin opticus (“optic, optical”), from Ancient Greek ὀπτικός (optikós), equivalent to optic + -ics.