The birefringence induced by flow in liquids, solutions and dispersions of optically anisotropic, anisometric or deformable flow molecules or particles due to a non-random orientation of the molecules or particles. Synonymous with flow birefringence.
Source:
Purple Book, 1st ed., p. 61 (http://old.iupac.org/publications/books/author/metanomski.html)