Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not perfectly spherical; having a shape that deviates slightly from a perfect sphere: Describes a surface or lens whose curvature is not constant, meaning it is not part of a perfect sphere.

Usage

• The term "aspherical" is primarily used in technical fields such as optics, photography, and engineering to describe lenses or surfaces designed to reduce optical aberrations (distortions) that occur with simple spherical lenses.
• It is an adjective and typically precedes a noun (e.g., an aspherical lens) or follows a linking verb (e.g., The surface is aspherical).

Examples

• Adjective:
  • Modern camera lenses often use aspherical elements to produce sharper images with less distortion.
  • The engineer specified an aspherical mirror for the telescope to correct for spherical aberration.
  • Because the surface was slightly aspherical, it required specialized grinding tools.

Advanced Usage

• "Aspherical surface": A surface that is not spherical, often designed for a specific optical purpose.
  • The contact lens has an aspherical surface to provide a wider field of clear vision.

Variants and Related Words

• Asphere (n): A lens or optical element with an aspherical surface.
  • The design incorporates a single molded asphere.
• Asphericity (n): The degree to which a shape deviates from a perfect sphere.
  • The asphericity of the component was measured precisely.

Synonyms

• Non-spherical: Having a shape that is not a sphere.
• Aplanatic: In optics, corrected for spherical aberration (a related but more specific technical term).

Antonyms

• Spherical: Having the shape of a sphere; perfectly round.

Adjective

1. varying slightly from a perfectly spherical shape