auxetics
|aux-e-tics|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔkˈsɛtɪks/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːkˈsɛtɪks/
(auxetic)
expands when stretched
Etymology
'auxetic' originates from Greek, specifically the element 'aux-' from the verb 'auxein', where 'aux-' meant 'to increase' or 'to grow'. The modern English adjective was formed by combining that prefix with the suffix '-etic' to denote relation.
'auxetic' was formed in modern scientific English (20th century) from Greek-derived combining forms (auxo- / aux-) plus the adjectival suffix '-etic'; the term was adopted into technical usage to name materials exhibiting 'increasing' (expanding) lateral dimension when stretched, and entered scientific literature as 'auxetic' and the plural 'auxetics'.
Initially derived elements referred generally to 'increase' or 'growth'; over time the modern technical meaning narrowed to 'relating to materials that expand laterally when stretched' (i.e., having a negative Poisson's ratio).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
materials (or instances of materials) that exhibit a negative Poisson's ratio — i.e., they become thicker perpendicular to the direction of stretching.
Auxetics are being studied for use in protective equipment because they become thicker when stretched.
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Noun 2
the field or body of research concerned with auxetic materials and their properties (the study of auxetic structures and behaviours).
The study of auxetics has expanded within materials science over the past decades.
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Last updated: 2025/11/30 00:14