refract

What does “refract” mean?

verb.(of water, air, or glass) to make (a ray of light) change direction when it enters at an angle.

SAT Usage

this term often appears in scientific or literary contexts, particularly when discussing phenomena related to light or vision. It emphasizes the concept of bending or altering perception, suggesting deeper themes of distortion or change, which differentiates it from similar terms like "reflect," which implies a mere bouncing back of light without alteration.

Common Confusions

Refract implies the bending of light as it passes through a medium, while reflect usually suggests the bouncing back of light without any change in direction.

Example Sentences

• A glass prism can refract white light into a visible spectrum of colors.

• A prism can refract light into bands of color.

Word Parts: How to Remember “refract”

Break “refract” into its parts: re- (again, back) + -frag- (break). Knowing roots like these helps you decode unfamiliar SAT vocabulary.

• Prefix: re- again, back (Latin)
• Root: -frag- break (Latin)