optic

Everyday

1. (adjective) To do with the eye or sight: «the optic nerve». tree →
2. (optics, uncountable) The science of light and how it behaves, including lenses and mirrors. tree →
3. (noun, UK) A device fixed to a bottle to pour out a measured amount of drink. tree →
4. (optics, informal) How something looks to the public. tree →
5. An optic is an old or poetic word for an eye. tree →

In the lessons

In science: the optic nerve carries messages from the eye to the brain; optics studies how light reflects and refracts. «Fibre optic» (fiber optic) cables carry internet signals as light through thin glass threads. Phrases: «optic nerve», «fibre optic», «optics».

Examples

• The optic nerve sends signals from your eye to your brain. tree →
• Fibre optic cables carry information as light. tree →
• Optics is the science of light. tree →
• Lenses in glasses are part of optics. tree →
• The doctor checked my optic nerve. tree →
• Fibre optic lamps glow at the tips. tree →
• But the eagle-eyed watcher watched until his eyes narrowed and became pin-points, and he ceased to be a man and became an optic. tree →

Note

More common is the adjective «optical» (optical illusion). «Optics» ends in s but is singular as a science: «Optics is…». Spelling: fibre optic (UK) / fiber optic (US). Related: optician (eye-test shop worker).