Emmert's law

proper noun

A law stating that objects that generate retinal images of the same size will look different in physical size (linear size) if they appear to be located at different distances.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A law stating that objects that generate retinal images of the same size will look different in physical size (linear size) if they appear to be located at different distances.

Origin

Named after Emil Emmert (1844–1911), who first described it in 1881.

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Cite this entry
APA

Emmert's law. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Emmert's%20law

MLA

“Emmert's law.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Emmert's%20law. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

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

Source: Emmert's law on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.