/ˈpɹɪz(ə)m/, [ˈpʰɹ̠̊ɪzm̩], /ˈpɹɪzəm/
OriginLearned 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.).
- An object having the shape of a geometrical prism (sense 1).
- 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.
- A crystal in which the faces are parallel to the vertical axis.
- A transparent block in the shape of a prism (sense 1), typically with triangular ends, used to reflect or refract light.
“[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 vv”
“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 ”
- archaicA spectrum produced by light being refracted through a prism.
“The beams, that thro' the Oriel shine, / Make prisms in every carven glass, […]”
- broadlyA 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.
- figurativelyA perspective that colours one's perception.
“I had surveyed the landscape through the prism of poetry, which tinged every object with the hues of the rainbow.”
“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, cha”
Formsprisms(plural)