wave theory


noun

Also called undulatory theory. Physics. the theory that light is transmitted as a wave, similar to oscillations in magnetic and electric fields. Compare corpuscular theory.
Historical Linguistics. a theory that accounts for shared features among languages or dialects by identifying these features as innovations that spread from their points of origin to the speech of contiguous areas.

Origin of wave theory

First recorded in 1825–35

Example sentences from the Web for wave theory

British Dictionary definitions for wave theory

wave theory

noun

the theory proposed by Huygens that light is transmitted by waves
any theory that light or other radiation is transmitted as waves See electromagnetic wave