deflection

[ dih-flek-shuh n ]
/ dɪˈflɛk ʃən /

noun

the act or state of deflecting or the state of being deflected.
amount of deviation.
the deviation of the indicator of an instrument from the position taken as zero.
Military. the angle formed by the line of sight to the target and the line of sight to the point at which a gun is aimed so as to strike the target.
Electronics. (in a cathode-ray tube) the bending by a magnetic field of the beam of electrons leaving the electron gun.
Also British, de·flex·ion.

Origin of deflection

1595–1605; < Late Latin dēflexiōn- (stem of dēflexiō), equivalent to Latin dēflex(us) (past participle of dēflectere; see deflect) + -iōn- -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM deflection

non·de·flec·tion, noun

Example sentences from the Web for deflection

British Dictionary definitions for deflection

deflection

deflexion

/ (dɪˈflɛkʃən) /

noun

the act of deflecting or the state of being deflected
the amount of deviation
the change in direction of a light beam as it crosses a boundary between two media with different refractive indexes
a deviation of the indicator of a measuring instrument from its zero position
the movement of a structure or structural member when subjected to a load

Derived forms of deflection

deflective, adjective

Medical definitions for deflection

deflection
[ dĭ-flĕkshən ]

n.

A turning aside or deviation.
The deviation of an indicator in a measuring instrument, such as an electrocardiograph, from zero or from its normal position.