Mach band

noun

Any of a series of bands of slightly different shades of grey that make up an optical illusion where the contrast between the bands appears to be exaggerated as soon as they contact one another.

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Meanings

nounMach band (plural Mach bands)

plural Mach bands

  1. Any of a series of bands of slightly different shades of grey that make up an optical illusion where the contrast between the bands appears to be exaggerated as soon as they contact one another.

Origin

Named after the physicist Ernst Mach.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Mach band. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Mach%20band

MLA

“Mach band.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Mach%20band. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Mach band,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Mach%20band.

Source: Mach band on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.