plano-concave
|pla-no-con-cave|
🇺🇸
/ˌpleɪnoʊkənˈkeɪv/
🇬🇧
/ˌpleɪnəʊkənˈkeɪv/
flat + inwardly curved
Etymology
'plano-concave' originates from New Latin and Latin, specifically the elements 'planus' and 'concavus', where 'planus' meant 'flat' and 'concavus' meant 'hollowed' or 'curved inward'.
'plano-concave' changed from Latin phrases such as 'planus concavus' and the scientific-Latin compound 'planoconcavus' and eventually became the modern English term 'plano-concave'.
Initially it meant 'flat and hollowed/inwardly curved' in literal Latin descriptions, but over time it evolved into its current technical meaning of 'having one flat surface and one inward-curved surface,' especially for lenses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having one surface that is flat (plano) and the other surface curved inward (concave); often used to describe a lens whose shape causes light rays to diverge.
The optical system included a plano-concave lens to diverge the beam before it entered the aperture.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/11 16:11