refract

From Latin refractum, the neutral inflection of refractus, the past participle of refringere, itself from re- (“again”) + frangere (“to break”).

• Rhymes: -ækt

refract (third-person singular simple present refracts, present participle refracting, simple past and past participle refracted)

1. (intransitive, of light) To change direction as a result of entering a different medium
2. (transitive, optics) To cause (light) to change direction as a result of entering a different medium.

   A prism can refract light.

• refracting

• refractive
• refraction
• refractory
• refrangible
• refringent

• reflect

• crafter, recraft