mesophasen.
/ˈmɛsə(ʊ)feɪz/, U.S. /ˈmɛzəˌfeɪz/; see also meso- comb. form. 1. Cell Biology. A stage in cell division: (a) a point of arrest during the metaphase of meiosis; (b) the prophase of mitosis. rare. disused.
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1908 F. R. Lillie in Science 12 June 908/1 Each possesses a large karyokinetic figure fixed at the animal pole, and this figure remains at the mesophase for hours.
1924 Science 15 Feb. 166/1 The term mesophase, Ms, is introduced to designate that phase of the process of mitosis described as spireme thread formation.
2. Physical Chemistry. A mesomorphic phase; a liquid crystal.
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the world > matter > chemistry > physical chemistry > mesophases > [noun]
mesophase1929
mesoform1933
1929 Brit. Chem. Abstr. A. 870/1 Mesophases occupy an intermediate position between crystals and purely amorphous substances.
1972 Physics Bull. May 279/1 The characteristic anisotropy of the mesophase is now known to result from the strong tendency of the constituent molecules to lie with their long axes parallel.
1991 New Scientist 4 May 29/2 We have developed a discotic liquid crystal based on a slight modification of a copper soap. We would have expected it to form a classic discotic mesophase, but surprisingly it forms a new structure.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1908