Word of the Day - 12/17/25
striation
/straɪ'eɪʃən/(n.): a stripe or stripes of contrasting color
The gemstone displayed beautiful striations of blue and white.
(n.): any of a number of tiny parallel grooves; e.g. the scratches left by a glacier on rocks or the streaks or ridges in muscle tissue
Geologists identified glacial striations on the bedrock.
Word Origin
The word 'striation' originates from the Latin word 'stria', meaning 'a furrow, groove, or channel'. From 'stria' came the verb 'striare' (to furrow or groove), whose past participle 'striatus' (grooved) gave rise to the English verb and adjective 'striate'.
The word 'stria' itself is used in English, especially in medical and scientific contexts, referring to a groove or line. The verb and adjective 'striate' also share this direct Latin root.