total internal reflection

noun

A phenomenon where light, instead of passing into a medium of a lower refractive index and refracting away from the normal, is completely reflected by the boundary between the two media because it approaches at an angle greater than or equal to the critical angle.

Similar
complete internal reflection
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Meanings

nountotal internal reflection (countable and uncountable, plural total internal reflections)

plural total internal reflections · alternative total internal reflexion

  1. uncountableengineeringA phenomenon where light, instead of passing into a medium of a lower refractive index and refracting away from the normal, is completely reflected by the boundary between the two media because it approaches at an angle greater than or equal to the critical angle.

    Synonyms: complete internal reflection

  2. countableAn instance of this phenomenon.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA phenomenon where light, instead of passing into a medium of a lower refractive index and refracting away from the normal, is completely reflected by the boundary between the two media because it approaches at an angle greater than or equal to the critical angle.

Similar
complete internal reflection

Translations

Finnish sisäinen kokonaisheijastus
  • sisäinen kokonaisheijastusTranslations
Polish całkowite wewnętrzne odbicie
  • całkowite wewnętrzne odbicieTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

total internal reflection. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/total%20internal%20reflection

MLA

“total internal reflection.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/total%20internal%20reflection. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “total internal reflection,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/total%20internal%20reflection.

Source: total internal reflection on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.