diffract

 
Pronunciation: /dɪˈfrakt/

verb

[with object] Physics
  • cause to undergo diffraction: experiments found that a beam of electrons could be diffracted like light (as adjective diffracted) diffracted X-rays

Derivatives

diffractive

adjective

diffractively

adverb

Origin:

early 19th century: from Latin diffract- 'broken in pieces', from the verb diffringere, from dis- 'away, from' + frangere 'to break'