Fres·nel  (frā-něl')  French physicist who supported the wave theory of light, investigated polarized light, and developed a compound lens for use in lighthouses. |
| Fresnel (frā-něl') Pronunciation Key
French physicist whose investigations of the interference, diffraction, and polarization of light helped establish the theory that light moves in a wavelike motion. Fresnel also made great contributions to the field of optics, including the development of a compound lens for use in lighthouses. |