A liquid crystal is a liquid that has some of the qualities of crystals, for example reflecting light from different directions in different ways.
liquid crystal in British English
noun
a liquid that has some crystalline characteristics, such as the presence of different optical properties in different directions; a substance in a mesomorphic state
See also smectic, nematic
liquid crystal in American English
a liquid in which nearby molecules have a fixed orientation with respect to each other: such liquids may exhibit some properties of crystals
Examples of 'liquid crystal' in a sentence
liquid crystal
The first commercially available liquid crystal lenses are expected to take between six and ten years.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Its advantage over a liquid crystal display at the present time is its superior brightness.
Samways, B. & Byrne-Jones, T. Computers Basic Facts (1983)
Liquid crystal pools into a corner of the display and bleeds across the screen like a mortal wound.