Meanings
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1
noun
the act, process, or capacity of floating in a liquid or gas
Air chambers provide enough flotation to keep the raft above water.
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2
noun
a separation process in which selected particles attach to bubbles and rise to the surface of a liquid
The mine uses froth flotation to separate valuable minerals from waste rock.
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3
noun
the offering of a company's shares to the public for the first time
The company raised new capital through a stock-market flotation.
Thesaurus
Etymology
Formed from float + -ation in the early nineteenth century. Float came through Middle English floten from Old English flotian, 'to float.' The mineral-processing and stock-market senses both extend the idea of bringing something to the surface or launching it into circulation.