REFLECTOR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does reflector mean? 

• REFLECTOR (noun)
  The noun REFLECTOR has 2 senses:

1. device that reflects radiation

2. optical telescope consisting of a large concave mirror that produces an image that is magnified by the eyepiece

  Familiarity information: REFLECTOR used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REFLECTOR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Device that reflects radiation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("reflector" is a kind of...):

device (an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "reflector"):

mirror (polished surface that forms images by reflecting light)

parabolic reflector; paraboloid reflector (a concave reflector used to produce a parallel beam when the source is placed at its focus or to focus an incoming parallel beam)

solar collector; solar dish; solar furnace (a concave mirror that concentrates the rays of the sun; can produce high temperatures)

Derivation:

reflect (to throw or bend back (from a surface))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Optical telescope consisting of a large concave mirror that produces an image that is magnified by the eyepiece

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

reflecting telescope; reflector

Context example:

Isaac Newton invented the reflecting telescope in 1668

Hypernyms ("reflector" is a kind of...):

optical telescope (an astronomical telescope designed to collect and record light from cosmic sources)

Meronyms (parts of "reflector"):

parabolic mirror (a parabolic reflector for light radiation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "reflector"):

Cassegrainian telescope; Gregorian telescope (a reflecting telescope that has a paraboloidal primary mirror and a hyperboloidal secondary mirror; light is brought to a focus through an aperture in the center of the primary mirror)

coude system; coude telescope (a reflecting telescope so constructed that the light is led to a plate holder or spectrograph)

Herschelian telescope; off-axis reflector (a reflecting telescope with the mirror slightly tilted to throw the image to the side where it can be viewed)

Maksutov telescope (reflecting telescope in which the aberration of the concave mirror is reduced by a meniscus lens)

Newtonian reflector; Newtonian telescope (reflecting telescope in which the image is viewed through an eyepiece perpendicular to main axis)

Schmidt camera; Schmidt telescope (reflecting telescope that has plate that corrects for aberration so a wide area of sky can be photographed)