prism
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈpɹɪz(ə)m/
ipa: [ˈpʰɹ̠̊ɪzm̩]
ipa: /ˈpɹɪzəm/
rhymes: -ɪzəm
Forms: form: prisms
Etymology: Learned borrowing from Late Latin prisma (“(geometry) prism”), from Ancient Greek πρίσμᾰ (prísmă, “anything sawn; sawdust; (Koine, geometry) prism”), from πρῐ́ζω (prĭ́zō) (a variant of πρῑ́ω (prī́ō, “to saw”), further etymology unknown) + -μᾰ (-mă, suffix forming neuter nouns denoting the effect or result of an action, etc.).
Senses: topics: geometry
mathematics
sciences
glosses: A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
An object having the shape of a geometrical prism (sense 1).
topics: business
construction
geometry
manufacturing
mathematics
sciences
glosses: A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
A cutting (“open passage at a level lower than the surrounding terrain, dug for a canal, railway, or road to go through”) or an embankment shaped like a prism (sense 1) or a number of prisms, such that its volume can be easily calculated.
topics: chemistry
crystallography
geometry
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
A crystal in which the faces are parallel to the vertical axis.
examples: text: [page 13] One of theſe Parts [of a piece of black paper] I painted vvith a red Colour and the other vvith a blevv. […] This Paper I vievved through a Priſm of ſolid Glaſs, vvhoſe tvvo Sides through vvhich the Light paſſed to the Eye vvere plane and vvell poliſhed, and contained an Angle of about Sixty Degrees: vvhich Angle I call the refracting Angle of the Priſm. […] [page 17] Theſe Experiments may ſuffice for the Colours of Natural Bodies. For in the Colours made by the Refraction of Priſms this Propoſition vvill appear by the Experiments vvhich are novv to follovv in the next Propoſition.
ref: 1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “[The First Book of Opticks. Part I.] Prop[osition] I. Theor[y] I. Lights which Differ in Colour, Differ also in Degrees of Refrangibility.”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith, and Benj[amin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, pages 13 and 17:
text: Here, avvful [Isaac] Newton, the diſſolving clouds / Form, fronting on the ſun, thy ſhovvery priſm; / And to the ſage-inſtructed eye unfold / The various tvvine of light, by thee diſclos'd / From the vvhite mingling maze.
ref: a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC, page 10, lines 207–211:
topics: engineering
geometry
mathematics
natural-sciences
optics
physical-sciences
physics
sciences
glosses: A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
A transparent block in the shape of a prism (sense 1), typically with triangular ends, used to reflect or refract light.
examples: text: The beams, that thro' the Oriel shine, / Make prisms in every carven glass, […]
ref: 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “The Day-Dream”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 151:
topics: engineering
geometry
mathematics
natural-sciences
optics
physical-sciences
physics
sciences
glosses: A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
A transparent block in the shape of a prism (sense 1), typically with triangular ends, used to reflect or refract light.
A spectrum produced by light being refracted through a prism.
topics: geography
natural-sciences
surveying
glosses: A retroreflector (“device which reflects light back to its source with minimal scattering”) which is usually attached to a surveying pole as a target for a total station which emits a light beam at the device and calculates how long it takes to be reflected back in order to measure distance.
examples: text: I had surveyed the landscape through the prism of poetry, which tinged every object with the hues of the rainbow.
ref: 1820 September 13, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Stratford-on-Avon”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number VII, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 87:
text: It is a simple fact that many outside the Abu Dhabi-owned club will always view their triumph through the prism of the charges of 115 financial breaches brought against them by the Premier League, charges they fiercely deny.
ref: 2023 June 10, Phil McNulty, “Manchester City 1 – 0 Inter Milan”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 10 Apr 2024:
glosses: A perspective that colours one's perception.
Hypernyms: topics: geometry
mathematics
sciences
word: prismatoid
Hyponyms: word: accretionary prism
word: Amici prism
word: biprism
word: clino-prism
word: cylinder
word: Dove prism
word: hemiprism
word: hexagonal prism
word: irregular prism
word: macroprism
word: microprism
word: Nicol prism
word: orthoprism
word: pentagonal prism
word: pentaprism
word: Porro prism
word: protoprism
word: Rochon prism
word: roof prism
word: triangular prism
word: wedge prism
word: Wollaston prism
Derived terms: word: antiprism
word: microprismatic
word: polyprismane
word: prismal
word: prismane
word: prismate
word: prismated
word: prismatic
word: prismatically
word: prismatoid
word: prismatoidal
word: prismed
word: prismenchyma
word: prism glass
word: prismic
word: prismlike
word: prismodic
word: prismoid
word: prismoidal
word: prism train
word: prisoptometer
word: slab-off prism