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Meaning & use

focal

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˈfəʊkl/
US/ˈfoʊkl/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a noun

    Being the main center of attention or interest.

    Grammar: Comes before a noun: the focal point of the room.

    Patterns

    • the focal point of something

    The fireplace is the focal point of the living room.

    The new bridge became the focal point of the city's plans.

    Her speech was the focal moment of the evening.

  2. adjectivebefore a nountechnicalphysics

    Relating to the point where rays of light meet after passing through a lens or mirror.

    Grammar: Technical, in optics and photography.

    Patterns

    • focal length of something

    A longer focal length makes distant objects look closer.

    The focal point of the lens is behind the glass.

    The camera lets you change the focal distance by hand.

  3. adjectivebefore a nounmedicaltechnical

    Affecting or starting from one small area, as in medical conditions that begin in one part of the brain.

    Grammar: Medical use: focal seizure.

    Patterns

    • focal something

    Doctors diagnosed a focal seizure in the left side of the brain.

    The scan showed a focal area of damage.

    Focal infections can spread if untreated.

Common combinations

focal point
The mural is the focal point of the plaza.
focal length
This lens has a focal length of fifty millimeters.
focal person
Each office names a focal person for the project.
focal area
Education is a focal area of the charity.
focal seizure
A focal seizure may affect only one hand.

Synonyms and how they differ

central
Central means in the middle or most important in general, while focal means where attention gathers.
key
Key is casual and means very important, but focal suggests the point everything revolves around.
main
Main simply means principal and lacks the sense of a gathering point.
pivotal
Pivotal means that other things turn on it, which is more about influence than attention.

Opposites

peripheralmarginal

Word family

focus noun
the center of attention, or a point of clear sight
focus verb
to concentrate on something
focused adjective
concentrated and clear
refocus verb
to focus again or change direction
focally adverb
in a way limited to one area (technical)

Commonly confused: focal or vocal?

focal vs vocal

Vocal means relating to the voice or outspoken, and it differs from focal by one letter.

Practice

The giant clock became the ____ point of the square, drawing every visitor's eye.

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