ground glass

noun

1. Optics. glass that has had its polished surface removed by fine grinding and that is used to diffuse light.
2. glass that has been ground into fine particles, especially for use as an abrasive.

ground glass

noun

1. glass that has a rough surface produced by grinding, used for diffusing light
2. glass in the form of fine particles produced by grinding, used as an abrasive

Word History and Origins

Origin of ground glass¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

“He who lives by the crystal ball is destined to eat ground glass. But I've been right in the markets about 65% of the time”, he said.

From BBC

Traditional paint on canvas was often sidelined in favor of modern industrial materials such as poured resin, ground glass, lacquers and microfilm coatings.

From New York Times

The team used finely ground glass particles as a binder, allowing them to avoid polymers and enhance its long-term durability outdoors, Zhao said.

From Science Daily

If you knew Count Olaf, and he suddenly served you a meal, wouldn’t you be afraid there was something terrible in it, like poison or ground glass?

From Literature

CT scans of the couple treated at Hubei Provincial Hospital reveal “ground glass” opacities in their lungs.

From Los Angeles Times