morphotropicadj.
/ˌmɔːfə(ʊ)ˈtrɒpɪk/, U.S. /ˌmɔrfəˈtrɑpɪk/ Crystallography.
Of, relating to, or exhibiting morphotropy.
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morphotropic1870
1870 Nature 26 May 76/1 The influence thus exercised by certain elements or groups taking the place of hydrogen, he [sc. P. Groth] calls their morphotropic power.
1899 Mineral. Mag. 12 66 The three minerals may be members of a morphotropic series, in which the vertical crystallographic axis increases in length with an increase in the amount of lead.
1937 W. L. Bragg Atomic Struct. Minerals ix. 150 The members of the chondrodite series are interesting because of the morphotropic relationships which exist between them.
1959 J. Pouwelsen et al. tr. W. F. de Jong Gen. Crystallogr. 184 A morphotropic range of compounds is one in which the replacing atoms differ gradually in one property—for example, in size or polarizability.
1973 A. I. Kitaigorodsky Molecular Crystals & Molecules i. 18 Morphotropic changes associated with a loss of symmetry are accompanied by an increase in the packing density.
1995 Jrnl. Amer. Ceramic Soc. 78 1072/2 Compositions near the morphotropic phase boundary also were investigated.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1870