To cause light, sound, or other waves to bend around the edges of obstacles or through openings, creating patterns of light and dark or spreading the sound.
From Latin 'diffractus,' past participle of 'diffrangere' (dis- + frangere, 'to break'). The word literally means 'broken apart,' which describes how waves split and spread when encountering barriers.
Diffraction is why you can hear someone calling from around a corner even though you can't see them—sound waves bend around obstacles! This same principle helps astronomers study distant stars and is crucial to how all modern technology from phones to telescopes actually works.
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