effusion

C2 Topic:Emotions & Feelings

US /ɪˈfjuːʒən/ UK /ɪˈfjuːʒən/ See IPA manual

Freq #47607

Meanings

1

noun
an abundant or unrestrained expression of emotion or words

Her speech ended with an effusion of gratitude to the volunteers.
2

noun
medicine: an abnormal escape or accumulation of fluid in a body cavity or tissue

The scan revealed a small pleural effusion around the patient's lung.
3

noun
physics: the passage of gas particles through a hole smaller than their mean free path

The experiment compared the rates of effusion of helium and nitrogen.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an abundant or unrestrained... outpouring gush overflow

2 noun · medicine: an abnormal... fluid accumulationdischarge

3 noun · physics: the passage of gas... molecular escape

Opposites

restraint reservecontainment

Word family

Derived forms effusiveeffusivelyeffusiometer

Related forms effuseoutflowpleural effusion

Etymology

Borrowed through French from Latin effusio, 'a pouring out,' from effundere, 'to pour out or shed,' formed from ex-, 'out,' + fundere, 'to pour.' The emotional, medical, and physical senses all preserve the central image of something flowing or escaping outward.

Topics

Emotions & Feelings Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# effusion

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪˈfjuːʒən/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˈfjuːʒən/
**Frequency rank:** 47607

## Meanings
1. an abundant or unrestrained expression of emotion or words
2. medicine: an abnormal escape or accumulation of fluid in a body cavity or tissue
3. physics: the passage of gas particles through a hole smaller than their mean free path

## Examples
- Her speech ended with an effusion of gratitude to the volunteers.
- The scan revealed a small pleural effusion around the patient's lung.
- The experiment compared the rates of effusion of helium and nitrogen.

## Synonyms
- outpouring
- gush
- overflow
- discharge

## Antonyms
- restraint
- reserve
- containment

## Derived Forms
- effusive
- effusively
- effusiometer

## Related Forms
- effuse
- outflow
- pleural effusion

## Etymology
Borrowed through French from Latin effusio, 'a pouring out,' from effundere, 'to pour out or shed,' formed from ex-, 'out,' + fundere, 'to pour.' The emotional, medical, and physical senses all preserve the central image of something flowing or escaping outward.

## Topics
- Emotions & Feelings
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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