viscosity

C2+ Topic:Physics

US /vɪˈskɑsɪti/ UK /vɪˈskɒsɪti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a fluid's resistance to flow; thickness or stickiness

Cold weather increases the viscosity of the engine oil.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a fluid's resistance to... thickness stickinessgumminessglutinousness

Opposites

fluidityrunninessthinness

Word family

Related forms viscous viscidviscose

Etymology

From Medieval Latin 'viscositas', from Late Latin 'viscosus' ('sticky'), from Latin 'viscum' ('birdlime, mistletoe'), a sticky substance.

viscositas Latin viscum Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Physics Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# viscosity

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /vɪˈskɑsɪti/
**IPA (UK):** /vɪˈskɒsɪti/

## Meanings
1. a fluid's resistance to flow; thickness or stickiness

## Examples
- Cold weather increases the viscosity of the engine oil.

## Synonyms
- thickness
- stickiness
- gumminess
- glutinousness

## Antonyms
- fluidity
- runniness
- thinness

## Related Forms
- viscous
- viscid
- viscose

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: viscositas
- Root: viscum

## Etymology
From Medieval Latin 'viscositas', from Late Latin 'viscosus' ('sticky'), from Latin 'viscum' ('birdlime, mistletoe'), a sticky substance.

## AI Etymology
Viscosity comes from Medieval Latin 'viscositas', from Late Latin 'viscosus' ('sticky'), from Latin 'viscum' ('birdlime, mistletoe'), a sticky substance. In current use it is a noun meaning "a fluid's resistance to flow; thickness or stickiness". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The history is mainly one of transmission into English, with the older form and sense carried through borrowing or adaptation. The historical chain includes Latin viscositas and Latin viscum. Related English forms include viscous, viscid, and viscose. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the older form, the route into English, and the present lexical sense.

## Topics
- Physics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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