scheurlijntje

Scheurlijntje is a Dutch term that literally means a small crack line. The word combines scheur (crack) with lijntje (little line). In everyday Dutch, scheurlijntje refers to a fine, linear crack on a surface, generally smaller than a full fissure.

Origin and usage: The term is informal and context-dependent. It is used in fields such as construction and civil engineering, ceramics and pottery, painting and wood varnish, and materials science to describe hairline cracks or networks of tiny cracks. The appearance can result from drying, thermal cycling, moisture changes, aging, or mechanical fatigue. In formal technical writing, more precise terms such as fissure, craquelure, or hairline crack are typically used.

Contexts and examples: In concrete or plaster surfaces, scheurlijntjes can indicate surface cracking due to shrinkage or stress. In glazed ceramics or porcelain, the term may describe fine crack patterns (craquelure) that form during cooling or aging. In painting conservation, hairline cracks in varnish or paint layers are sometimes informally called scheurlijntjes by conservators when they are small and evenly spaced. In geology, the term is uncommon in formal discourse; rock fractures are usually described as faults, joints, or fractures rather than scheurlijntjes.

See also: craquelure; hairline crack; fracture; crack propagation.