See piezoelectricity in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(pī-ēˌzō-ĭ-lĕk-trĭsˈĭ-tē, -ēˌlĕk-, pē-āˌzō-)
noun
The generation of electricity or of electric polarity in dielectric crystals subjected to mechanical stress, or the generation of stress in such crystals subjected to an applied voltage.