porosity
porosity Lexical Profile
porosity Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The quality or state of being porous; the ability of a material to absorb fluids or allow gases and liquids to pass through its minute spaces or pores.
"The high porosity of terracotta pots allows air and moisture to circulate freely around the plant's roots."
In geology and materials science, the ratio of the volume of all pores or void spaces in a rock, soil, or solid material to the total volume of the mass.
"Geologists measured the porosity of the sandstone core sample to estimate how much groundwater the aquifer could store."
A figurative openness or lack of strict boundaries that allows people, ideas, or goods to pass easily between regions, categories, or institutions.
"The porosity of the disciplinary boundaries at the research institute encouraged collaboration between biologists and computer scientists."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Porosity' and 'permeability' are distinct in geology and materials science: 'porosity' measures the volume of void space within a material, whereas 'permeability' measures how easily fluids can flow through those connected spaces.
• Rhymes for porosity
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French 'porosite' and Medieval Latin 'porositas', ultimately derived from Ancient Greek 'poros' meaning 'passage' or 'pore'.