bifocals: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2neutral
Quick answer
What does “bifocals” mean?
A pair of eyeglasses that have two distinct optical powers, typically one for distance vision and one for near vision.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A pair of eyeglasses that have two distinct optical powers, typically one for distance vision and one for near vision.
By metonymy, can refer to the wearer of such glasses, especially an older person, or metaphorically to a dual perspective or divided focus.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. 'Varifocals' or 'progressive lenses' are more common modern terms in both regions.
Connotations
Slightly dated in both, often associated with middle age or older generations.
Frequency
Comparable frequency; the term is understood but less common than 'glasses with reading prescription' in casual speech.
Grammar
How to Use “bifocals” in a Sentence
VERB + bifocals: wear, need, adjust, prescribeADJECTIVE + bifocals: new, first, thick, rimlessVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bifocals” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He finally bifocaled his spectacles last week.
American English
- She decided to bifocal her old glasses.
adjective
British English
- He needed a bifocal prescription.
- The bifocal lens design is classic.
American English
- She ordered bifocal eyeglasses.
- It's a standard bifocal style.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in optometry/healthcare business contexts discussing product lines.
Academic
Used in optics, optometry, and history of technology.
Everyday
Common when discussing vision correction, ageing, or optician visits.
Technical
Precise term in optometry for lenses with two distinct focal powers.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bifocals”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bifocals”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bifocals”
- Using as a singular noun (e.g., 'a bifocal' for the glasses).
- Confusing with 'varifocals' (which have a gradient, not two distinct segments).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Their invention is widely credited to Benjamin Franklin in the 1780s, who fashioned them by cutting and combining the halves of two pairs of spectacles.
Bifocals have two distinct segments with a visible line. Varifocals (or progressive lenses) have a seamless gradient of multiple powers without a line.
Almost never. Like 'glasses' or 'trousers', it is almost exclusively used in the plural form. You refer to 'a pair of bifocals'.
They are less common than in the past, having been largely superseded by more aesthetically pleasing and functional varifocal/progressive lenses, but they are still prescribed and used.
A pair of eyeglasses that have two distinct optical powers, typically one for distance vision and one for near vision.
Bifocals is usually neutral in register.
Bifocals: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbaɪˈfəʊ.kəlz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbaɪˈfoʊ.kəlz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Look at life through bifocals (metaphor for dual perspective).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
BI-FOCALS: BI (two) + FOCALS (focus points) = glasses with two focuses.
Conceptual Metaphor
Dual perspective; seeing both the big picture and the details.
Practice
Quiz
What is the key feature of bifocals?