a series of bright and dark rings that appear when a convex lens comes into contact with a glass plate, and which are caused by light interference
Newton's rings in American English
plural noun
Optics
the pattern of light interference produced by the contact of the convex surface of a lens witha plane glass plate, appearing as a series of concentric, alternately bright and dark rings, which are colored if the light source is white
Word origin
[1825–35; after I. newton, who discovered them]This word is first recorded in the period 1825–35. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: cross section, individualism, relativity, runway, self-help