Smectic
adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A liquid crystal having the molecules aligned in this way; a phase of a liquid crystal in which the molecules are so aligned.
- 1 Cleansing. not-comparable, rare
- 2 Astringent; detergent. not-comparable, rare
- 3 Whose molecules are aligned in layers, with the molecules lying perpendicular to the plane of the layers. not-comparable
"The smectic phases, which are found at lower temperatures than the nematic, form well-defined layers that can slide over one another in a manner similar to that of soap.[…]There are many different smectic phases, all characterized by different types and degrees of positional and orientational order.^([Wikipedia])"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"The smectic phases, which are found at lower temperatures than the nematic, form well-defined layers that can slide over one another in a manner similar to that of soap.[…]There are many different smectic phases, all characterized by different types and degrees of positional and orientational order.^([Wikipedia])"
Etymology
From Latin smecticus, from Ancient Greek σμηκτικός (smēktikós), from σμήχειν (smḗkhein, “to wipe, to cleanse”) + -ικός (-ikós, “-ic”).
Related phrases
More for "smectic"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.