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striation

striation

5 9.1
A parallel line or groove on a surface, for example in muscle
  • noun
  • /straɪˈeɪʃən/
translation icon : estriación
  • When examined under the magnifying lens of my penlight, I saw that the skin was not composed of one layer, but rather of dozens of bands or striations, like the rings in a tree.
  • cross-striations

I fucking run wild free my hair flowing like you can't believe you could see my muscular striations when I tried my guy.

Examples

  • See it's got those little like striations now just kind of make it so it's not all smooth and boring.

  • But now they stare as I strain, as my arms get bigger than theirs, as the muscle striations I pull at daily start to make me look like the metal I lift.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • You can see here the striations of the layers push against each other.

  • And look at these striations in the scope.

  • Cross-striations are present only in some cases, and therefore they are not essential for diagnosis.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Plus striations on the blade indicate the blade had recently been reground.

  • The road rides the edge of an ancient glacier ridge, one of a number of bizarre raised striations in the earth in this part of New York State, like giant claws many miles long.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The diagonal striations in this polarized light micrograph (by L. C. Smith and F. Gayle) indicate twinning structure.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Although much of the paint surface is damaged, striations are also visible on the wine-red drapery over Jacob's leg as he flees Isaac's home (Fig. 2).

    Academic text (2006)
  • The geologist pointed out the distinct striations on the cliff face, formed by ancient glaciers.

Synonyms

line
vsstriation
1.0

A row of words on a page, for example in an ad

is restricted to multiple parallel tiny grooves or ridges rather than any mark
stria
vsstriation
  • Specialized
2 9.9

A thin line on a surface that is different in color or texture

refers to multiple parallel tiny grooves or ridges forming a visible pattern

Surface Forms

striation singular
striations plural

Morphology

striation = striate (semi-transparent) = stria + ion

Formed by the verb 'striate' + '-ion'; the meaning 'parallel lines or grooves' is predictable from the root but relies on technical vocabulary.

Etymology

Striation comes from the Latin stria, which means 'furrow' or 'groove', and is the same root as the familiar word stripe. Picture a rock scratched by a glacier or a muscle seen under a microscope with many thin, parallel lines: a striation is one of those grooves or ridges, so the origin explains the modern meaning.