US /ɪˈmʌl.ʃən/ UK /ɪˈmʌl.ʃən/
noun Freq #50698

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    a dispersion of tiny droplets of one liquid in another liquid with which it does not normally mix

    Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil and water stabilized by egg yolk.

  2. 2
    noun

    a light-sensitive coating on photographic film or paper

    The particle track appeared as a dark line in the photographic emulsion.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · a dispersion of tiny... colloid
2 noun · a light-sensitive coating... photographic emulsion
Word family
Derived forms emulsifyemulsionizemicroemulsionnanoemulsion
Related forms emulsifiersuspensioncolloidphotographic film

Etymology

Borrowed from French émulsion, from New Latin emulsio, based on Latin emulgere ("to milk out, extract"). The scientific sense developed from the image of one liquid dispersed through another.

Topics

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