effusion
effusion Lexical Profile
effusion Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An escape of fluid from blood vessels or lymphatics into a body cavity or surrounding tissue (in medicine).
"The chest X-ray revealed a pleural effusion that required careful monitoring by the medical team."
An unrestrained expression of feelings or words, in either speech or writing.
"Her latest letter was filled with warm effusions of gratitude toward everyone who supported her scholarship."
An instance of giving off something such as a liquid, light, or smell; an act of pouring out or discharging.
"The volcanic eruption was preceded by a massive effusion of sulfur dioxide gas and molten lava."
The passage of a gas under pressure through a tiny orifice or pinhole into a region of lower pressure without molecular collisions (in physics and chemistry).
"In chemistry class, the students applied Graham's law to calculate the rate of effusion for helium compared to nitrogen."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'effusion' (an outpouring of liquid, gas, or emotion) with 'infusion' (the introduction of a new element or the steeping of a substance in liquid) or 'diffusion' (the spreading of something more widely).
• Rhymes for effusion
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late Middle English period from Old French or directly from Latin effusio ('a pouring out'), derived from the verb effundere, from ex- ('out') + fundere ('to pour').