'refractive-error-correcting' is an English compound formed from the adjective 'refractive' + the noun 'error' + the present-participle adjective 'correcting'. In usage it describes something that corrects ('correcting') errors in refraction ('refractive error').

'refractive' derives from the verb 'refract', which comes from Latin 'refringere' (from 're-' meaning 'back' and 'frangere' meaning 'to break'); 'error' comes from Latin 'error' (from 'errare' meaning 'to stray' or 'to wander'); 'correct' comes from Latin 'corrigere' (from 'com-' meaning 'together' + 'regere' meaning 'to make straight'). These elements entered English via Medieval/Modern Latin and Old French and combined in Modern English to form technical compounds like 'refractive-error-correcting'.

Individually, the roots originally referred to physical actions ('to break/bend back', 'to stray', 'to make straight'), and over time their senses specialized (for example, 'refract' to 'bend light', 'error' to 'medical/optical error'). The compound's current meaning is specifically 'capable of correcting errors in the eye's refraction.'