1560–70; < Late Latin prīsma < Greek prîsma literally, something sawed, akin to prī́zein to saw, prīstēs sawyer
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
prism
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prism (prĭz'əm)
n.
A solid figure whose bases or ends have the same size and shape and are parallel to one another, and each of whose sides is a parallelogram.
A transparent body of this form, often of glass and usually with triangular ends, used for separating white light passed through it into a spectrum or for reflecting beams of light.
Such a body used in testing or correcting imbalance of the extrinsic ocular muscles.
pris·mat'ic (-māt'ĭk) adj.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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prism  (prĭz'əm) Pronunciation Key
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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A solid figure in geometry with bases or ends of the same size and shape and sides that have parallel edges. Also, an object that has this shape.
Note: A prism of glass (or a similar transparent material) can be used to bend different wavelengths of light by different amounts through refraction. This bending separates a beam of white light into a spectrum of colored light.
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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