(DoD, NATO) In a lens element, the straight line which passes through the centers of curvature of the lens surfaces. In an optical system, the line formed by the coinciding principal axes of the series of optical elements.
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. 31 January 2011.
| APA | Military Dictionary (DoD). (2011). optical axis. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/optical_axis/definitions/1963199 |
| Chicago | Military Dictionary (DoD). 2011. "optical axis" http://smartdefine.org/optical_axis/definitions/1963199 (accessed September 22, 2026). |
| Harvard | Military Dictionary (DoD) 2011, optical axis, Smart Define, viewed 22 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/optical_axis/definitions/1963199>. |
| MLA | Military Dictionary (DoD). "optical axis" 4 April 2011. Web. 22 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/optical_axis/definitions/1963199> |