n.
Pronunciation: ' shlir- ə n
Function: noun plural
Etymology: G
Date: 1898
1 : small masses or streaks in an igneous rock that differ in composition from the main body
2 : regions of varying refraction in a transparent medium often caused by pressure or temperature differences and detectable especially by photographing the passage of a beam of light
– schlie · ric \ ' shlir-ik \ adjective