Word of the day: refractor | Vocabulary.com
SKIP TO CONTENT
Dictionary
Vocabulary Lists
VocabTrainer™
WORD OF THE DAY
previous word of the day
July 22, 2026
next word of the day
refractor
Share
A refractor is a kind of lens that bends light to form a focused image. A telescope that uses this type of lens to bring distant objects into view is also known as a refractor.
The word refractor comes from refract, "to break or bend the natural course." In the case of a telescope, it's light that's being refracted, or bent, as it passes through a lens. A second lens magnifies the image, making it possible to see distant stars and planets. Today, most large telescopes used by astronomers to see very distant objects are reflecting telescopes that use mirrors rather than refractors.
SEE FULL DEFINITION, USAGE EXAMPLES AND MORE
Want to expand your vocabulary?
Get Word of the Day delivered straight to your inbox!
Subscribe to our word of the day
subscribed
Previous Words of the Day
July 17
dexterous
July 18
noisome
July 19
ganglion
July 20
intransigent
July 21
quotidian
See all words of the day
Sign up now (it’s free!)
Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.
Get started
Finally, a dictionary with a soul
Our definitions were written by humans, for humans.
Each word has a friendly explanation that makes it easy to remember.
Real world examples
Discover thousands of example sentences from current newspapers,
magazines, and literature.
World’s smartest, fastest dictionary
Find the word you’re looking for faster than any other online dictionary.
That’s less time searching, more time learning.
Learn with us
Learner subscriptions
Vocabulary lists
Dictionary
Test Prep
Join a Vocabulary Jam
Commonly confused words
Word of the day
Teach with us
For educators
For schools and districts
How it works
Success stories
Research
Professional development
Contact sales
Resources
Help articles/FAQ
Teaching resources
Learner resources
ESL/ELL resources
Grade level resources
IPA Pronunciation
Contact support
Leaderboards
Vocabulary Bowl
Today's leaders
Weekly leaders
Monthly leaders
About
Our Mission
Blog
Tell us what you think
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Comprehensive K-12 personalized learning
Immersive learning for 25 languages
Trusted tutors ready to help in 300+ subjects
35,000 worksheets, games, and lesson plans
Marketplace for millions of educator-created resources
Fun educational games for kids
Spanish-English dictionary, translator, and learning
Diccionario inglés-español, traductor y sitio de aprendizaje
Fast and accurate language certification
French-English dictionary, translator, and learning
Copyright © 2026
Vocabulary.com, Inc.
A division of IXL Learning •
All Rights Reserved.
Learn with us
Learner subscriptions
Vocabulary lists
Dictionary
Test Prep
Join a Vocabulary Jam
Commonly confused words
Word of the day
Teach with us
For educators
For schools and districts
How it works
Success stories
Research
Professional development
Contact sales
Resources
Help articles/FAQ
Teaching resources
Learner resources
ESL/ELL resources
Grade level resources
IPA Pronunciation
Contact support
Leaderboards
Vocabulary Bowl
Today's leaders
Weekly leaders
Monthly leaders
About
Our Mission
Blog
Tell us what you think
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
My Account
Log in
Sign up
My Account
Log Out
My Learning
My Proficiency Report
My Profile
Schools & Teachers
My Classes
Assignments & Activities
My Lists
Find a List to Learn...
Create a New List...
My Progress
Words I'm Learning
My Trouble Words
Words I've Mastered
My Achievements
User Administration
User Authentication
My Account
Comprehensive K-12 personalized learning
Immersive learning for 25 languages
Trusted tutors ready to help in 300+ subjects
35,000 worksheets, games, and lesson plans
Marketplace for millions of educator-created resources
Fun educational games for kids
Spanish-English dictionary, translator, and learning
Diccionario inglés-español, traductor y sitio de aprendizaje
Fast and accurate language certification
French-English dictionary, translator, and learning
Copyright © 2026
Vocabulary.com, Inc.
A division of IXL Learning •
All Rights Reserved.