liquid crystal

American  

noun

1. a liquid having certain crystalline characteristics, especially different optical properties in different directions when exposed to an electric field.

---

liquid crystal British  

noun

1. a liquid that has some crystalline characteristics, such as the presence of different optical properties in different directions; a substance in a mesomorphic state See also smectic nematic

---

liquid crystal Scientific  

1. Any of various liquids in which molecules are regularly arrayed like a solid crystal along one or two dimensions, but are free in the other dimensions as with typical liquids. Liquid crystals often display unusual and often manipulable optical properties such as anisotropic scattering.

2. See more at LCD

---

Etymology

Origin of liquid crystal

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

liquid crystal

The key to this phenomenon lies in the creation of phase defects within the liquid crystal structure next to the air bubbles.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 13, 2024

As the air bubbles fluctuate in size, pushing and pulling the surrounding liquid crystal, they are propelled in a consistent direction, defying conventional laws of physics.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 13, 2024

To test the devices, the researchers injected laser light in the waveguide and then varied the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer, which modulated the light.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 4, 2024

When the beam propagating inside the waveguide enters the liquid crystal layer it modifies the light's phase and polarization when an electric field is applied.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 4, 2024

It may be poetical to talk of liquid crystal, but no crystal has the absolute perfection of the transparency of these streams.

From Horse-Shoe Robinson A Tale of the Tory Ascendency by Kennedy, John Pendleton