Hemihedrism

/ˌhɛmiˈhɛdrɪzəm/ noun

Definition

The condition or property of being hemihedral; the phenomenon of crystal faces being reduced to half the normal number.

Etymology

From 'hemihedral' + Greek suffix '-ism' (a condition or practice), formed in the 1800s when crystallographers needed a noun to describe this structural property.

Kelly Says

Hemihedrism is like nature's shorthand—instead of building a complete crystal with all its faces, atoms sometimes arrange themselves in this half-faced pattern, teaching us that perfection isn't always the goal in nature.

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