Sci-òp'tic or Sci-òp'tric, a.

a. [Fr. scioptique, sphère scioptique, from Gr. σκιά, shadow, and ὀπτικός, belonging to seeing or sight, from the root ὄψ, future ὄψομαι, to see.] Of, or pertaining to, a certain optical arrangement for forming images in a darkened room, usually called scioptic ball.

Scioptic ball (Opt.), the lens of a camera obscura mounted in a wooden ball which fits a socket in a window-shutter so as to be readily turned, like the eye, to different parts of the landscape.