How Do You Spell PLEOCHROIC?

Pronunciation: [plɪˈɒkɹə͡ʊɪk] (IPA)

The word "pleochroic" is pronounced /ˌpliəˈkroʊɪk/. It is used to describe minerals that display different colors when viewed from different angles under polarized light. The spelling of "pleochroic" may seem tricky due to the combination of letters and sounds, but breaking it down into parts can help. "Pleo" comes from the Greek word for "more," while "chroic" is derived from "chroma," which means "color." Therefore, "pleochroic" can be thought of as "having more than one color."

PLEOCHROIC Meaning and Definition

1. Pleochroic is an adjective used to describe the property of certain minerals or gemstones that exhibit different colors when viewed from different angles under polarized light. This phenomenon is a result of the anisotropic nature of the material, meaning that its optical properties vary with orientation.

   In pleochroic minerals, the absorption of light is different depending on the direction in which it passes through the crystal lattice. As a result, the transmitted light may appear to be one color when viewed along one axis, and a different color when viewed along another. The term "pleochroism" is often used interchangeably with "pleochroic" to describe this optical property.

   The pleochroic effect is commonly observed in minerals such as tourmaline, cordierite, and diopside, as well as certain gemstones like tanzanite and sapphire. These materials can display a wide range of colors, allowing them to exhibit different hues or shades depending on the angle of light and orientation of the crystal.

   Pleochroism is a useful characteristic for gemologists and mineralogists as it can help in identifying and distinguishing different minerals, and can be an important factor in evaluating the quality and value of gemstones. By observing the pleochroic colors and their corresponding angles, experts can gather valuable information about the crystal structure and composition of the material.

2. Relating to pleochroism.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for PLEOCHROIC

• oleochroic
• lleochroic
• -leochroic
• 0leochroic
• pkeochroic
• ppeochroic
• poeochroic
• plwochroic
• plsochroic
• pldochroic
• plrochroic
• pl4ochroic
• pl3ochroic
• pleichroic
• plekchroic
• plelchroic
• pleocheoic
• pleoch4oic
• pleoch2oic
• pleochzoic

Etymology of PLEOCHROIC

The word pleochroic originates from the combination of two Greek words: pleo meaning more or various, and chroa meaning color.

Similar spelling words for PLEOCHROIC

• pleochroism,
• paleocortical.