collimate

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
13
Words With Friends
17
Letters
9
Pronunciation
/ˈkɒlɪmeɪt/ (UK)

Definition of collimate

1 sense · 1 part of speech · etymology included

verb

  1. To focus into a narrow beam or column; to adjust a focusing device so that it produces a narrow beam.
    “Lead bricks were placed around the radioactive source so that the escaping gamma rays would be limited to a collimated beam rather than filling the lab.”
    “I need to collimate my telescope so that the images are clearer.”
    “However, after a bit of experience, the collimating chore can become routine.[…]Of course, if manufacturers made telescopes whose optics did not move around, you would only have to collimate a telescope once.”
    “Binoculars can be collimated by either eccentric rings on the objective lenses or by tilting the prisms with grub screws (set screws).[…]Always collimate binoculars outdoors, or indoors by looking through an open window.”
    “When calculating the size of the spot created on the retina by the lens of the eye when focusing the energy from a collimated source, the eye is generally considered to be ideal and diffraction limited.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

First attested in 1623; borrowed from Latin collimātus, perfect passive participle of collīmō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), itself originating from a misreading of collīniō, collīneō.

Words you can make from collimate

200+ playable · top: METALLIC (12 pts)

Best play metallic 12 points

8-letter words

2 words

7-letter words

9 words

6-letter words

25 words

5-letter words

45 words

4-letter words

107 words

3-letter words

11 words

Hooks

2 extensions · 2 back

A single letter you can add to collimate to make another valid word.

Find your best play with collimate

See every word you can make from a set of letters that includes collimate, or browse word lists you can mine for high-scoring plays.