nicol

name

1. A surname originating as a patronymic.

noun

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis)Ellipsis of Nicol prism.

   “Whilst I formerly used the parallel position of the two Nicols as the zero point, I adopted in these measurations the crossed position as the zero point, because it is easier to distinguish the point of maximal extinction of the rays than the point of maximal brightness.”