(DoD) The process by which the direction of a wave is changed when moving into shallow water at an angle to the bathymetric contours. The crest of the wave advancing in shallower water moves more slowly than the crest still advancing in deeper water, causing the wave crest to bend toward alignment with the underwater contours.
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. 31 January 2011.
| APA | Military Dictionary (DoD). (2011). refraction. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/refraction/definitions/1963666 |
| Chicago | Military Dictionary (DoD). 2011. "refraction" http://smartdefine.org/refraction/definitions/1963666 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | Military Dictionary (DoD) 2011, refraction, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/refraction/definitions/1963666>. |
| MLA | Military Dictionary (DoD). "refraction" 4 April 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/refraction/definitions/1963666> |