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# absorb

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /æbˈsɔɹb/
**IPA (UK):** /əbˈzɔːb/
**Frequency rank:** 11198

## Meanings
1. to take in a liquid, gas, or other substance gradually
2. to learn and understand new information
3. to hold someone's whole attention or interest
4. to take in or deal with a cost or change

## Examples
- The sponge absorbs water very well.
- Children absorb new languages quickly.
- The new video game completely absorbed us for hours.
- The company absorbed the extra costs rather than raising prices.

## Synonyms
- bear

## Antonyms
- emit

## Derived Forms
- absorbability
- absorbable
- absorbance
- absorbate
- absorbefacient
- absorbent
- absorption
- absorptive
- bioabsorb
- misabsorb
- overabsorb
- preabsorb

## Related Forms
- adsorb

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: absorber
- Root: assorbir
- Root: absorbeō
- Root: *srebʰ-

## Etymology
From Middle French absorber, from Old French assorbir, from Latin absorbeō (“swallow up”), from ab- (“from”) + sorbeō (“suck in, swallow”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *srebʰ- (“to sip”). Compare French absorber.

## AI Etymology
Absorb comes from Middle French absorber, from Old French assorbir, from Latin absorbeō (“swallow up”), from ab- (“from”) plus sorbeō (“suck in, swallow”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *srebʰ- (“to sip”). Compare French absorber. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix.

## Topics
- Mind & Cognition
- Materials & Substances

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