Prism Definition

prĭzəm
prisms
noun
prisms
A solid figure whose ends are parallel, polygonal, and equal in size and shape, and whose sides are parallelograms.
Webster's New World
A crystalline body whose lateral faces meet at edges that are parallel to each other.
Webster's New World
Anything that refracts light, as a drop of water.
Webster's New World
A cut-glass object, such as a pendant of a chandelier.
American Heritage
A transparent body, as of glass, whose ends are equal and parallel triangles, and whose three sides are parallelograms: used for refracting or dispersing light, as into the spectrum.
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Prism

Noun

Singular:
prism
Plural:
prisms

Origin of Prism

  • Late Latin prīsma from Greek prīsma thing sawed off, prism from prīzein to saw variant of prīein

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Late Latin prisma, from Ancient Greek πρίσμα (prisma, “something sawed"), from πρίζειν (prizein, “to saw").

    From Wiktionary

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