myopia
UK[maɪˈəʊ.pi.ə]US[maɪˈoʊ.pi.ə]
n
a condition of the eye that makes it difficult to see objects that are far away; nearsightedness.
n
(formal) the inability to see or plan for the future; a lack of foresight or long-term thinking.
Morpheme Breakdown
my
opia
my
sense
opia
sense
Etymology
the term 'myopia' is a modern scientific borrowing directly from late latin, which itself derived from the greek myōpia. this greek compound was formed from myein ("to shut" or "to close") and ōps ("eye, face"). the literal meaning was "closing the eyes," referring to the characteristic squinting or partial closing of the eyelids that nearsighted people often do to see distant objects more clearly. this descriptive physical action provided the logical link to the optical condition, and the term was later extended metaphorically to describe a figurative shortsightedness or lack of foresight in planning.
Analysis
Structure: my (sense) + opia (sense)
my (from greek myein, meaning "to shut, to close"); opia (from greek -ōpia, from ōps meaning "eye, sight").
Examples
he got glasses to correct his myopia.
the company's financial myopia led it to ignore long-term research investments.
the policy has been criticized for its myopia regarding environmental consequences.