photonics

American

[foh-ton-iks] / foʊˈtɒn ɪks /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

the study and technology of the use of light for the transmission of information.

photonics British

/ fəʊˈtɒnɪks /

noun

(functioning as singular) the study and design of devices and systems, such as optical fibres, that depend on the transmission, modulation, or amplification of streams of photons

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

photonics Scientific

/ fō-tŏn′ĭks /

The scientific study or application of electromagnetic energy whose basic unit is the photon, incorporating optics, laser technology, electrical engineering, materials science, and information storage and processing.

Etymology

Origin of photonics

1950–55; photonic, -ics; perhaps on the model of electronics

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Their findings appear in a review published in Nature Photonics, which examines the rapid advances in creating, controlling, and measuring structured quantum light.

From Science Daily

The paper highlights a growing set of powerful tools, including on-chip integrated photonics, nonlinear optics, and multiplane light conversion.

From Science Daily

"These chalcogenides are excellent materials for photonics because of their high transparency and nonlinearity," Park said.

From Science Daily

“There are some certain hot pockets in utilities, energy, home builders, memory, and photonics,” he added.

From Barron's

The company announced a new research and development center in Israel this week, and acquired optical connectivity startup aiXscale Photonics in October 2025.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023