Abbe number

US/ˈɑ.bə ˈnʌm.bɚ/US/ˈæ.bi ˈnʌm.bɚ/

noun

A number that represents the reciprocal of the dispersive power of a substance with transparent qualities.

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Meanings

nounAbbe number (plural Abbe numbers)

plural Abbe numbers

  1. A number that represents the reciprocal of the dispersive power of a substance with transparent qualities.

Origin

From the name of Ernst Abbe, a German physicist.

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Cite this entry
APA

Abbe number. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Abbe%20number

MLA

“Abbe number.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Abbe%20number. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Abbe number,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Abbe%20number.

Source: Abbe number on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.