striate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Formal
Quick answer
What does “striate” mean?
To mark something with stripes, lines, streaks, or ridges.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To mark something with stripes, lines, streaks, or ridges.
To be or become characterized by a striped or lined pattern; in adjective form, describing something that is marked with such patterns.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Equally technical/formal in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialist in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “striate” in a Sentence
[be/get] striated (with something)striate [object] (with lines)striated by [process]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “striate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The glacier's movement will striate the bedrock over millennia.
- The artist used a fine tool to striate the wet clay surface.
American English
- Wind-driven sand can striate the glass of desert buildings.
- The machine is designed to striate the metal for better adhesion.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial form; 'in a striated manner' is possible but highly unnatural.]
American English
- [No standard adverbial form; 'in a striated manner' is possible but highly unnatural.]
adjective
British English
- The striated appearance of the cliff face revealed its sedimentary history.
- Under the microscope, the striated muscle fibres were clearly visible.
American English
- He examined the striated pattern on the ancient pottery.
- Striated bedrock is common in regions formerly covered by ice sheets.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in life sciences (anatomy), geology, materials science, and art history to describe patterns.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would be considered an unusually precise or learned choice.
Technical
The primary register. Describes specific textures in materials, rock formations, muscle tissue, or biological structures.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “striate”
- Confusing 'striate' (verb) with 'striation' (noun for the line/ridge itself).
- Using 'striated' as a verb (e.g., 'It striated the rock' – incorrect; 'It striated the rock' is correct, but 'It *became* striated' is better).
- Overusing in non-technical contexts where 'striped' or 'lined' would suffice.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The adjective form 'striated' is far more common, especially in scientific and descriptive writing. The verb 'to striate' is quite rare.
'Striated' implies finer, often parallel lines, grooves, or ridges, frequently created by a natural or mechanical process. 'Striped' is more general, used for broader, often decorative bands of colour (like a zebra or a flag). 'Striated' is more technical.
It would sound very formal or pretentious. In everyday contexts, words like 'striped', 'lined', 'streaked', or 'grooved' are almost always preferable.
A 'striation' is the noun for an individual line, groove, or ridge that forms part of a striated pattern. For example, 'The striations on the shell were perfectly parallel.'
To mark something with stripes, lines, streaks, or ridges.
Striate is usually technical/formal in register.
Striate: in British English it is pronounced /ˈstraɪ.eɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈstraɪˌeɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None for this technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'STRIPES' + 'CREATE' = 'STRIATE' – to create stripes or lines.
Conceptual Metaphor
LINES ARE IMPRESSIONS/FORCES. The pattern is a visible record of the force that created it (e.g., erosion, growth, tension).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'striated' most appropriately used?