viscose
viscose Lexical Profile
viscose Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A smooth, breathable, semi-synthetic fibre or fabric made from regenerated wood cellulose, widely used in clothing and upholstery as a common type of rayon.
"She preferred wearing summer dresses made of lightweight viscose because the fabric drapes so smoothly."
A thick, golden-brown viscous solution formed by treating cellulose with caustic soda and carbon disulfide, used to manufacture regenerated cellulose fibres and transparent cellophane film.
"During the manufacturing process, the liquid viscose is forced through tiny nozzles into an acid bath to solidify into fine threads."
• adjective
Having a thick, sticky, and glutinous consistency; viscous.
"The chemist carefully stirred the viscose mixture until the fibres began to separate."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'viscose' with 'viscous'. In contemporary usage, 'viscose' almost exclusively refers to the semi-synthetic rayon fabric or its chemical solution, whereas 'viscous' is the standard adjective describing a thick, sticky liquid.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 19th century by British chemists Charles Frederick Cross and Edward John Bevan from Late Latin 'viscosus' (meaning sticky or full of birdlime), combined with the chemical suffix '-ose' (as in cellulose).