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Wordnet 3.0

ADJECTIVE (2)

1. of or relating to or capable of refraction;
- Example: "the refractive characteristics of the eye"
[syn: refractive, refractile]

2. capable of changing the direction (of a light or sound wave);
[syn: deflective, refractive]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Refractive \Re*fract"ive\ (r?*fr?kt"?v), a. [Cf. F. r['e]fractif. See Refract.] Serving or having power to refract, or turn from a direct course; pertaining to refraction; as, refractive surfaces; refractive powers. [1913 Webster] Refractive index. (Opt.) See Index of refraction, under Index. Absolute refractive index (Opt.), the index of refraction of a substances when the ray passes into it from a vacuum. Relative refractive index (of two media) (Opt.), the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction for a ray passing out of one of the media into the other. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

refractive adj 1: of or relating to or capable of refraction; "the refractive characteristics of the eye" [syn: refractive, refractile] 2: capable of changing the direction (of a light or sound wave) [syn: deflective, refractive]