Meaning & use
refraction
The bending of light or another wave as it passes from one medium into another.
See it in a sentence
Refraction makes a straw look bent when it is placed in a glass of water.
The lens uses refraction to focus light onto the camera's sensor.
A note on using this word
Refraction is often confused with reflection, but reflection bounces light back rather than bending it as it passes through.
Words with a similar meaning
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