refractive
adj.adj. describing something that causes light to change direction as it passes through. You use this to talk about how glass or water bends light.
adj. relating to the bending of light or other electromagnetic radiation as it passes from one medium to another. Often describes the physical property of a material that causes this change in direction.
The lens has a high refractive index.
Opticians use refractive materials to correct vision by bending light to focus it properly on the retina.
The unique refractive properties of the gemstone cause it to display a brilliant spectrum of colors when viewed from different angles under bright light.
From refract + -ive.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 19, 2026