Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having three unequal crystal axes with one oblique intersection: In crystallography, this describes a specific crystal system where the three axes are of different lengths, and one pair of axes intersects at an angle that is not 90 degrees (i.e., an oblique angle), while the other two pairs are perpendicular.

Usage

• Adjective:
  • Gypsum is a common mineral with a monoclinic crystal structure.
  • The monoclinic system is one of the seven basic crystal systems in mineralogy.

Advanced Usage

• "Monoclinic symmetry": Refers to the specific type of symmetry elements (like a single two-fold rotation axis or a mirror plane) characteristic of the monoclinic crystal system.
  • The mineral exhibited monoclinic symmetry, which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction.

Variants and Related Words

• Monoclinicity (n): The state or quality of being monoclinic. (This is a technical term rarely used outside specialized crystallography texts.)
• Triclinic (adj): A related crystal system where all three axes are unequal and all interaxial angles are oblique (not 90 degrees). This is often contrasted with the monoclinic system.

Synonyms

• Clinorhombic: An older, less common synonym for monoclinic in some historical crystallographic contexts.

Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs or Idioms)

• Crystal axis: An imaginary line through a crystal that is used as a reference for describing its symmetry and structure.
• Oblique angle: Any angle that is not a multiple of 90 degrees (i.e., not a right angle).
• Bravais lattice: In the monoclinic system, there are two distinct Bravais lattices: the simple monoclinic and the base-centered monoclinic.

Adjective

1. having three unequal crystal axes with one oblique intersection
   • monoclinic system