Noun

Singular strain

Plural strains

strain (plural strains)

1. (obsolete) Treasure.
2. (obsolete) The blood-vessel in the yolk of an egg.
3. (archaic) Race; lineage, pedigree.
4. a tune, melody
5. (biology) A particular breed or race of animal, microbe etc.

   They say this year's flu virus is a particularly virulent strain.

6. Hereditary character, quality, or disposition.

   There is a strain of madness in her family.

7. (rare) A kind or sort (of person etc.).

Quotations

• For examples of the usage of this term see the citations page.

Strain can refer to:

• Strain (biology), a variant of a plant, virus or bacterium; or an inbred animal used for experimental purposes
• Strain (chemistry), a chemical stress of a molecule
• Strain (mechanics) geometrical measure of deformation representing the relative displacement between particles in a material body, i.e. a measure of how much a given displacement differs locally from a rigid-body displacement.
• Strain (injury), an injury to a muscle in which the muscle fibers tear as a result of over stretching
• Strain (manga), manga written by Yoshiyuki Okamura, and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami
• Strain (music), a series of musical phrases that create a distinct melody of a piece

People

• Christina Strain, a comic book artist (colorist)
• Isaac Strain, an American explorer
• Julie Strain, an American actress and model