photoelasticity: Meaning and Definition of

pho•to•e•las•tic•i•ty

Pronunciation: (fō"tō-i-la-stis'i-tē, -ē"la-stis'-), [key]
— n. Physics.
  1. the phenomenon of double refraction of polarized light by a transparent substance under elastic stress, used to measure strain in elastic, transparent materials.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.