orthorhombic

[awr-thuh-rom-bik]

adjective Crystallography.

noting or pertaining to a system of crystallization characterized by three unequal axes intersecting at right angles; rhombic; trimetric.

Compare crystal system.

Origin of orthorhombic

First recorded in 1865–70; ortho- + rhombic

Related formspseu·do·or·tho·rhom·bic, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for orthorhombic

Historical Examples of orthorhombic

Certain pyroxenes also crystallize in the orthorhombic system.
Geology
William J. Miller
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, and the crystals are either prismatic or acicular in habit.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 3
Various
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, and has three directions of perfect cleavage parallel to the three planes of symmetry.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Part 1, Slice 1
Various
It is not isomorphous with the orthorhombic barium and strontium sulphates, as might be expected from the chemical formulae.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Part 1, Slice 1
Various
It is of less frequent occurrence in nature than copper-glance, the orthorhombic cuprous sulphide.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 6
Various

British Dictionary definitions for orthorhombic

orthorhombic

adjective

crystallog relating to the crystal system characterized by three mutually perpendicular unequal axesAlso: rhombic, trimetric

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

orthorhombic in Science

orthorhombic

[ôr′thō-rŏm′bĭk]

Relating to a crystal having three axes of different lengths intersecting at right angles. The mineral topaz has orthorhombic crystals. See illustration at crystal.