optical

O1P3T1I1C3A1L1
UK/ˈɒptɪkəl/US/ˈɑptɪkəl/

adjective

Of or relating to sight; visual.

“Strabismus is an optical defect.”

Very commonScrabble 11

Meanings

adjectiveoptical (comparative more optical, superlative most optical)

comparative more optical · superlative most optical

  1. Of or relating to sight; visual.

    Strabismus is an optical defect.

  2. Designed to assist or enhance sight

    A microscope is an optical instrument.

  3. Of or relating to optics.

    Refraction is an optical effect.

  4. Of or relating to visible light.

    Optical telescopes don't work when it is cloudy.

  5. Incorporating light-sensitive devices.

    An optical switch opens the door automatically.

nounoptical (plural opticals)

plural opticals

  1. broadcastingAny special effect requiring laboratory work on the film.

    If you plan to output back to film, opticals and effects can be shot on film or generated by computer and then transferred to film.

    2006, David K. Irving, Peter W. Rea, Producing and Directing the Short Film and Video, page 294
    1 more example

    It is a glossy film with gross, opulent opticals and little comic, or any, relief; it has the jaundiced complexion of an early 60s underground film, which it is; it is ponderous, Wagnerian, and feels about five hours long (its running time is about an hour).

    1976 August 14, Gary Jane Hoisington, “Locker Room As The Site Of Religious Ecstasy”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 7, page 9

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiverelating to or using sight

adjectiveof or relating to or resembling the eye

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Englishoptic
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  4. Englishoptical

From optic + -al.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian оптичен, видим
  • оптичен (optičen)designed to assist or enhance sight
  • видим (vidim)relating to visible light
Catalan òptic, òptic
  • òpticdesigned to assist or enhance sight
  • òpticrelating to visible light
  • òpticincorporating light-sensitive devices
Czech optický, zrakový
  • optickýdesigned to assist or enhance sight
  • zrakovýdesigned to assist or enhance sight
  • optickýrelating to visible light
  • optickýincorporating light-sensitive devices
Danish optisk, optisk
  • optiskdesigned to assist or enhance sight
  • optiskrelating to visible light
  • optiskincorporating light-sensitive devices
Finnish optinen, optinen
  • optinendesigned to assist or enhance sight
  • optinenrelating to visible light
  • optinenincorporating light-sensitive devices
French optique, optique
  • optiquedesigned to assist or enhance sight
  • optiquerelating to visible light
  • optiqueincorporating light-sensitive devices
Greek οπτικός
  • οπτικός (optikós)relating to visible light
Hebrew אופטי, אופטי
  • אופטי (ópti)designed to assist or enhance sight
  • אופטי (ópti)relating to visible light
  • אופטי (ópti)incorporating light-sensitive devices
Hindi प्रकाशीय
  • प्रकाशीय (prakāśīya)relating to visible light
Russian опти́ческий, опти́ческий
  • опти́ческий (optíčeskij)designed to assist or enhance sight
  • опти́ческий (optíčeskij)relating to visible light
  • опти́ческий (optíčeskij)incorporating light-sensitive devices

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

optical. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/optical

MLA

“optical.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/optical. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “optical,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/optical.

Source: optical on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.