/ rɪˈfrækt; NAmE / verb
[ vn ] ( physics ) ( of water, air, glass, etc. ) to make light change direction when it goes through at an angle :
Light is refracted when passed through a prism.
► re·frac·tion / rɪˈfrækʃn; NAmE / noun [ U ]
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: from Latin refract- broken up, from the verb refringere , from re- back + frangere to break.