plural in form but usually singular in construction: a science that deals with the genesis and propagation of light, the changes that it undergoes and produces, and other phenomena closely associated with it
But before we deal with telescopes, you need to understand a little about optics—how light is controlled. Michael Zeilik et al.
Everything we know suggests that [eyeglasses] were invented by chance, and by laymen who were not learned in optics. Daniel J. Boorstin
: the aspects of an action, policy, or decision (as in politics or business) that relate to public perceptions
… when a broken-down bailout recipient like Citigroup tries to pay its top executives gigantic bonuses or to acquire a new private jet, it has failed to reconsider the optics. Nick Paumgarten
Skilling said Baxter "was concerned about the optics of the conflict, but not about the ethics or propriety of the transactions," according to interview memos. Peter Behr and April Witt
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebThe optics weren't good in that Lamet had only recently reached five years of major-league service time, which meant the Brewers were no longer able to simply option him to the minor leagues and retain control of him. Todd Rosiak, Journal Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2022 Indeed, the optics are so bad that the Board of Supervisors has been flooded with calls and emails from angry constituents. Erika D. Smithcolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2022 The optics were not good, coming days after axing Batgirl, which would have been the first DC Extended Universe film to star a Latina, Leslie Grace. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2022 Even if Compass had prevailed, the optics of the row was terrible. Gian M. Volpicelli, Wired, 3 Aug. 2022 The optics of the deal for a quarterback who still faced two dozen civil lawsuits were especially queasy because of the new contract the Browns gave Watson. Andrew Beaton, WSJ, 1 Aug. 2022 Toussaint is an optics expert whose lab at Brown University creates precision techniques to image and assess biological tissues. Usha Lee Mcfarling, STAT, 19 Aug. 2022 And in 2020, Chinese telecom-maker Huawei installed its own fiber-optics cables on Mount Everest to make a 5G internet network possible. Leila Sackur, NBC News, 19 Aug. 2022 Despite controversial optics, long-term energy planning for refugees will accelerate repatriation, yield better humanitarian outcomes, and help protect the environment. Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 14 Aug. 2022 See More