Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of or relating to the mesomorphic phase of a liquid crystal in which molecules are closely aligned in a distinct series of layers, with the axes of the molecules lying perpendicular to the plane of the layers.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective chemistry, physics Describing a class of liquid crystals whose molecules are aligned in layers, with the molecules lying perpendicular to the plane of the layers
  • noun Such a liquid crystal

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Greek smēktos, smeared, from smēkhein, to wash off.]

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