striation

noun

stri·a·tion | \ strī-ˈā-shən

Definition of striation

1a : the fact or state of being striated

b : arrangement of striations or striae

2 : a minute groove, scratch, or channel especially when one of a parallel series

3 : any of the alternate dark and light cross bands of a myofibril of striated muscle

Examples of striation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other signs showed up only under a microscope, which revealed roughly polished areas and parallel striations or scratches on the surface of the flint, etched by pyrite. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Neanderthals used stone hand axes to strike a light," 26 July 2018 On 16 of the tools, the microscopic striations and polishing on the stone matched the sorts of wear caused by cutting fish or meat. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Small Mayan saltworks could have supplied thousands, preserved food," 9 Oct. 2018 At the same time its monumentality, truncated appearance and pattern of notchings and surface striations combine to suggest an ancient architectural fragment recovered from some desert ruin. — Eric Gibson, WSJ, "‘Rachel Whiteread’ Review: Where Memories Dwell," 2 Oct. 2018 At times, their faces also displayed parallel lines of groves and striations. — William J. Broad, New York Times, "How the Ice Age Shaped New York," 5 June 2018 There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, not in the sense of the phrase, but actually not a single vapor formation — just striations of light to lighter blue lifting from the horizon. — Porter Fox, New York Times, "On a Canoe Trip Along the U.S.-Canada Border, Solitude and Shooting Stars," 20 June 2018 Then, Frayer began to look at striations on Neanderthal teeth. — Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, "Was Science Wrong About Being Right?," 18 May 2018 Around the denser filament there appear to be striations in the gas that astronomers suspected might be caused by waves propagating through the cloud. — Daniel Clery, Science | AAAS, "Scientists just 3D imaged the birthplace of stars—using sound," 10 May 2018 The high-quality photos speak loudly for their subjects, large and small — mountains and glaciers, wildlife, tiny flowers, striations on rock, bluest ice. — Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, "In ‘A Wild Promise,’ a wilderness area in limbo and a book with a mission," 19 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'striation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.