Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of optical glass: Flint glass is a specific kind of glass characterized by its high dispersion and high refractive index. It is used in the manufacture of lenses and prisms for optical instruments.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The precision lens was crafted from high-quality flint glass to minimize chromatic aberration.
  • Early telescopes often used a combination of crown glass and flint glass to correct for color distortion.

Advanced Usage

• Technical Context: In optics, "flint glass" is formally defined by its specific optical properties, particularly its Abbe number, which quantifies its dispersion.
  • The design required a dense flint glass with a refractive index greater than 1.6.

Variants and Related Words

• Crown glass (n): A complementary type of optical glass with lower dispersion, often paired with flint glass in achromatic lenses.
  • An achromatic doublet typically bonds a convex lens of crown glass to a concave lens of flint glass.

Synonyms

• Lead glass: While not always perfectly synonymous, as some flint glasses are lead-free, this term is often used interchangeably in non-technical contexts due to the historical use of lead oxide to achieve the desired properties.
  • The crystal decanter was made from finely cut lead glass.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The term "flint glass" is highly specific to the field of optics and glassmaking. It should not be confused with "flint," the hard stone, or generic glass types. Its meaning is precise and technical.

Noun

1. optical glass of high dispersion and high refractive index