Fresnel lens
noun
Optics.
a large lens with a surface of concentric grooves of prismatic profile, used in automobile headlights, searchlights, spotlights, etc.
Origin of Fresnel lens
First recorded in 1840–50; see origin at
fresnel
British Dictionary definitions for fresnel lens
Fresnel lens
noun
a lens consisting of a number of smaller lenses arranged to give a flat surface of short focal length
Word Origin for Fresnel lens
C20: named after Augustin Jean
Fresnel (1788–1827), French physicist
Scientific definitions for fresnel lens
Fresnel lens
[ frə-nĕl′ ]
A thin optical lens consisting of concentric rings of segmental lenses and having a short focal length. Placing a light source at the focal point of the lens gives rise to a strong beam of nearly parallel rays. Fresnel lenses are used primarily in spotlights, lighthouses, and the headlights of motor vehicles.