cholesteric

adjective

cho·​le·​ster·​ic ˌkō-lə-ˈster-ik How to pronounce cholesteric (audio) kə-ˈle-stə-rik How to pronounce cholesteric (audio)
: of, relating to, or being the phase of a liquid crystal characterized by arrangement of molecules in layers with the long molecular axes parallel to one another in the plane of each layer and incrementally displaced in successive layers to give helical stacking compare nematic, smectic

Word History

Etymology

cholesteric relating to cholesterol, from French cholesterique

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cholesteric was in 1923

Dictionary Entries Near cholesteric

cholestene

cholesteric

cholesterol

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Cholesteric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cholesteric. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Medical Definition

cholesteric

adjective
cho·​les·​ter·​ic kə-ˈles-tə-rik; ˌkō-lə-ˈster-ik How to pronounce cholesteric (audio) ˌkäl-ə- How to pronounce cholesteric (audio)
: of, relating to, or resembling cholesterol or its derivatives
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