prism

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Ancient Greek πρῑ́ω (prī́ō) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek πρίσμᾰ (prísmă)bor. Late Latin prismalbor. English prism Learned 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.).

1. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
2. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
3. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.
4. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.

   “[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 vvhich the Light paſſed to the Eye vvere plane and vvell poliſhed, and contained an Angle of about Sixty Degrees: vvhich Angle I call the refracting Angle of the Priſm. […] [page 17] Theſe Experiments may ſuffice for the Colours of Natural Bodies. For in the Colours made by the Refraction of Priſms this Propoſition vvill appear by the Experiments vvhich are novv to follovv in the next Propoſition.”

   “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 vvhite mingling maze.”

5. A polyhedron with parallel ends of the same polygonal shape and size, the other faces being parallelogram-shaped sides.

   “The beams, that thro' the Oriel shine, / Make prisms in every carven glass, […]”

6. A 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.
7. A 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, charges they fiercely deny.”