Laser Is an Acronym Nobody Expands Any More
A laser produces a narrow intense beam of light. The word began as an acronym describing exactly how the device works.
A laser produces a narrow, intense, single-coloured beam of light. The name is an acronym: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, coined in 1959. It has been a normal noun for so long that it now takes a lower-case l, forms the verb *lase* by back-formation, and almost nobody expands it — the same fate as *radar*, *scuba* and *laser*'s predecessor *maser*. The stimulated emission it describes was predicted by Einstein in 1917.
- A light-beam device. *A laser pointer.*
- To cut with a laser. *Laser-cut steel.*
- Lase — a back-formed verb. *The crystal lases.*
- Maser — the microwave predecessor. *A maser.*
- Acronym — how the word was made. *An acronym.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | laser | A red laser. |
| Plural | lasers | Two lasers. |
| Verb | lase | It lases. |
| Adjective | laser | Laser surgery. |
| Predecessor | maser | A maser. |
- The laser cut through the sheet.Industry.
- Einstein predicted stimulated emission in 1917.Physics.
- Nobody expands the acronym any more.Usage.
Acronyms that became ordinary words
- Laser — light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation
- Radar — radio detection and ranging
- Scuba — self-contained underwater breathing apparatus
- Sonar — sound navigation and ranging
- Taser — from a boys' adventure novel title
An acronym coined in 1959 by Gordon Gould from Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, on the model of *maser*.
What does laser stand for?
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. It has been a normal noun since the 1960s.
What is a maser?
The microwave predecessor of the laser, using the same principle at a longer wavelength. It gave the laser its naming pattern.