prisma

prism

noun PREES-mah Rare

Origin: From Latin prisma, from Greek prisma (something sawn), from prizein (to saw).

Also means

perspective

Usage Note

Prisma ends in -a but is masculine — el prisma — following the pattern of Greek-origin nouns like el tema, el programa, el clima. Beyond its optical meaning, it is widely used figuratively: desde el prisma de ('from the perspective/lens of'). The feminine form does not exist; agreement must follow masculine rules (un prisma triangular).

Examples

"El prisma descompone la luz en colores."

Natural Translation

The prism breaks light into colours.

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