antihalation
|an-ti-ha-lay-tion|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.ti.həˈleɪ.ʃən/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.ti.həˈleɪ.ʃ(ə)n/
preventing light halo
Etymology
'antihalation' originates from a combination of the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') and the noun 'halation' (English), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'halation' referred to a haloing effect of light.
'halation' itself comes into English from formations related to Latin/Greek roots for 'halo' (via words like Latinized 'halatio' or Medieval Latin usages) and was used in optical/photographic contexts; in the 20th century 'antihalation' was formed by adding the productive English prefix 'anti-' to 'halation' to name the countermeasure or process.
Initially the elements meant 'against' + 'haloing' and the compound was coined to mean exactly 'against halation' — over time it has become the standard technical term for both the preventive process and the physical layer or coating.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the prevention or reduction of halation — the unwanted haloing or spreading of light in photographic, optical, or imaging systems.
The camera manufacturer added an antihalation coating to improve contrast in backlit scenes.
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Noun 2
a material, layer, or device (such as an antihalation backing or coating) applied to film, photographic paper, sensors, or tubes to absorb stray light and prevent halo effects.
Older motion‑picture film stocks often included an antihalation backing to stop light from reflecting back into the emulsion.
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Last updated: 2025/09/01 21:20