diffraction
/dɪˈfrækʃən/
noun
- The bending or spreading of waves (such as light, sound, or water waves) as they pass through an opening or around an obstacle.
- The colorful patterns on a CD are caused by the diffraction of light from its tiny grooves.
- In physics class, we observed the diffraction of sound waves when they passed through a doorway.
- Diffraction limits the sharpness of images in microscopes and telescopes.