autocollimate
|au-to-col-li-mate|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔːtəˈkɑːlɪmeɪt/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːtəˈkɒlɪmeɪt/
self-align (by optical reflection)
Etymology
'autocollimate' is formed from the prefix 'auto-' (from Greek 'autos', meaning 'self') combined with the verb 'collimate'.
'collimate' entered English via scientific/technical Latin and French influences (from Medieval/Latin roots meaning roughly 'make straight' or 'bring into line'), and in the 20th century the compound 'autocollimate' was created by prefixing 'auto-' as autocollimating instruments (autocollimators) were developed.
Originally, 'collimate' broadly meant 'to make parallel or to bring into alignment'; over time the compound 'autocollimate' has come to mean specifically aligning by the optical method of autocollimation (using reflected light and an autocollimator).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to align or adjust an optical system (or its components) by using the reflection of a light source—typically with an autocollimator—so that optical axes or surfaces are correctly oriented (transitive or intransitive).
The engineer autocollimated the telescope's secondary mirror to ensure the optical axis was correct.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/24 14:30