Meanings
nouncritical angle (plural critical angles)
plural critical angles
- engineeringThe angle of incidence beyond which light traveling through a medium experiences total internal reflection upon encountering a boundary with a less refractive medium.
- aeronauticsThe angle of attack beyond which an airfoil stalls, experiencing a decrease in lift and increase in drag due to separation of airflow from the upper surface of the airfoil.
- architectureThe angle beyond which a ramp or a set of stairs is considered uncomfortable or unsafe.
Synonyms & antonyms
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Translations
Arabic زَاوِيَة حَرِجَة
- زَاوِيَة حَرِجَةsmallest angle of incidence
Bulgarian граничен ъгъл
- граничен ъгъл (graničen ăgăl)smallest angle of incidence
Polish kąt graniczny
- kąt granicznysmallest angle of incidence
Tagalog maselang siha
- maselang sihasmallest angle of incidence
Cite this entry
APA
critical angle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/critical%20angle
MLA
“critical angle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/critical%20angle. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “critical angle,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/critical%20angle.
Source: critical angle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.