/ dɪˈfrækt; NAmE / verb
[ vn ] ( physics ) to break up a stream of light into a series of dark and light bands or into the different colours of the spectrum
► dif·frac·tion / dɪˈfrækʃn; NAmE / noun [ U ]
••
WORD ORIGIN
early 19th cent.: from Latin diffract- broken in pieces, from the verb diffringere , from dis- away, from + frangere to break.