astigmatic: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1formal, technical, academic, literary
Quick answer
What does “astigmatic” mean?
Having an optical defect in the eye where vision is blurred because light does not focus to a single point on the retina.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Having an optical defect in the eye where vision is blurred because light does not focus to a single point on the retina.
Showing a lack of clear perception, understanding, or discernment; not seeing or judging things correctly or fairly.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Metaphorical use may be slightly more common in British literary/academic contexts, but this is marginal.
Frequency
Low frequency in both dialects, primarily encountered in medical/optical contexts or sophisticated writing.
Grammar
How to Use “astigmatic” in a Sentence
[be/become] astigmatichave an astigmatic [view/perception/approach] of somethingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “astigmatic” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The lens is designed to astigmatise the light beam for testing purposes.
- Older CRT monitors could astigmatise if improperly adjusted.
American English
- The procedure can temporarily astigmatize the cornea.
- A badly ground lens will astigmatize the image.
adverb
British English
- The light passed astigmatically through the flawed crystal.
American English
- He viewed the proposal astigmatically, focusing only on the budget.
adjective
British English
- The child's astigmatic left eye required a specialised lens.
- His critique was astigmatic, focusing on minor flaws while missing the main point.
American English
- Her new contact lenses corrected her astigmatic vision perfectly.
- The report offered an astigmatic analysis of the economic trends.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in critique: 'The board's astigmatic focus on short-term profits ignored long-term sustainability.'
Academic
Used in optics, medicine, and metaphorically in humanities/philosophy to critique a theoretical perspective.
Everyday
Very rare. Almost exclusively in the context of an eye test or discussing glasses/contact lenses.
Technical
Standard term in optometry, ophthalmology, and optical engineering.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “astigmatic”
- Misspelling: 'astigmatic' (missing 't'), 'astignatic'.
- Using it as a noun ('He is an astigmatic') instead of an adjective ('He is astigmatic' or 'He has astigmatism').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Short-sighted (myopic) and long-sighted (hyperopic) are focus errors where the focal point is in front of or behind the retina. Astigmatism is a distortion error where light focuses on multiple points due to an irregularly shaped cornea or lens.
Almost never. It describes a defect, flaw, or limitation in perception, either literal or metaphorical.
Astigmatism. Example: 'He was diagnosed with astigmatism.'
It is a 'hard g' sound /ɡ/, as in 'go'. The word is pronounced as-tig-MAT-ik.
Having an optical defect in the eye where vision is blurred because light does not focus to a single point on the retina.
Astigmatic is usually formal, technical, academic, literary in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to have an astigmatic view of something”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A STIGMA in the eye's optic (astigmatic). A 'stigma' is a mark of shame or distortion, which matches the distorted vision.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNDERSTANDING IS SEEING / A POINT OF VIEW IS A VISUAL PERSPECTIVE. A flawed perspective is flawed vision.
Practice
Quiz
In its most common literal sense, 'astigmatic' refers to a problem with: