Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Diffraction has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
when light passes sharp edges or goes through narrow slits the rays are deflected and produce fringes of light and dark bands
"The pattern of bright and dark bands on the wall was caused by the diffraction of laser light as it passed through a tiny pinhole."
The bending of a wave around an obstacle.
"The diffraction of sound waves allowed me to hear someone talking clearly even though they were standing behind a large wall."