The bending and spreading of waves when they encounter obstacles or pass through openings. Most commonly observed with light, sound, or water waves.
From Latin diffractus, past participle of diffringere (dis- 'apart' + frangere 'to break'). Coined in the 17th century as scientists began understanding wave behavior.
Diffraction is why you can hear someone talking around a corner but can't see them - sound waves bend around obstacles much more readily than light waves because of their much longer wavelengths, demonstrating the wave nature of both phenomena.
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