flux

[ fluhks ]

noun

1. a flowing or flow.

   Synonyms: livestream, flood, current, course

2. the flowing in of the tide.
3. continuous change, passage, or movement:

   His political views are in a state of flux.

4. Physics.
   1. the rate of flow of fluid, particles, or energy.
   2. a quantity expressing the strength of a field of force in a given area.
5. Chemistry, Metallurgy.
   1. a substance used to refine metals by combining with impurities to form a molten mixture that can be readily removed.
   2. a substance used to remove oxides from and prevent further oxidation of fused metal, as in soldering or hot-dip coating.
   3. (in the refining of scrap or other metal) a salt or mixture of salts that combines with nonmetallic impurities, causing them to float or coagulate.
6. fusion.

verb (used with object)

1. to melt; make fluid.
2. to fuse by the use of flux.
3. Obsolete. to purge.

verb (used without object)

1. to flow.

flux

/ flʌks /

noun

1. a flow or discharge
2. continuous change; instability
3. a substance, such as borax or salt, that gives a low melting-point mixture with a metal oxide. It is used for cleaning metal surfaces during soldering, etc, and for protecting the surfaces of liquid metals
4. metallurgy a chemical used to increase the fluidity of refining slags in order to promote the rate of chemical reaction
5. a similar substance used in the making of glass
6. physics
   1. the rate of flow of particles, energy, or a fluid, through a specified area, such as that of neutrons ( neutron flux ) or of light energy ( luminous flux )
   2. the strength of a field in a given area expressed as the product of the area and the component of the field strength at right angles to the area

      magnetic flux

      electric flux

7. pathol an excessive discharge of fluid from the body, such as watery faeces in diarrhoea
8. the act or process of melting; fusion
9. (in the philosophy of Heraclitus) the state of constant change in which all things exist

verb

1. to make or become fluid
2. tr to apply flux to (a metal, soldered joint, etc)
3. See purge
   tr an obsolete word for purge

flux

/ flŭks /

1. The rate of flow of fluids, particles, or energy across a given surface or area.
2. The presence of a field of force in a region of space, represented as a set of lines indicating the direction of the force. The density of the lines indicates the strength of the force. Lines used to represent magnetic fields in depictions of magnets, for example, follow the lines of flux of the field.
3. See also field
4. A measure of the strength of such a field.
5. A readily fusible glass or enamel used as a base in ceramic work.
6. An additive that improves the flow of plastics during fabrication.
7. A substance applied to a surface to be joined by welding, soldering, or brazing to facilitate the flowing of solder and prevent formation of oxides.
8. A substance used in a smelting furnace to make metals melt more easily.

Other Words From

• non·flux noun
• super·flux noun
• trans·flux noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of flux¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin fluxus “a flowing,” equivalent to fluc-, variant stem of fluere “to flow” + -tus, noun and participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of flux¹

C14: from Latin fluxus a flow, from fluere to flow

Example Sentences

Cheerleaders fall in love with freaks, jocks aspire to be indie musicians, and relationships are in a constant state of flux.

From The Daily Beast

Twitter, like the national debt or Lindsay Lohans's sobriety, is in a constant state of flux.

From The Daily Beast

Shaquille was formed within a dynamic that was at once very stable, and at the same time in predictable flux.

From The Daily Beast

Stem cell differentiation involves a plethora of regulatory factors and signals that are in a constant state of flux.

From The Daily Beast

The Good Wife introduced its potentially fatal fatality into a world already in flux.

From The Daily Beast

Or, perhaps, they have never got accustomed to the speed and fury of the river's flux, or the miracle of its continuous body.

From Project Gutenberg

The flux of pattern dimmed, then hesitated; blanked out and heroically began anew.

From Project Gutenberg

But man, immersed in the flux of sensualities, can never fully attain this knowledge of God, the object of all rational inquiry.

From Project Gutenberg

That perpetual flux and reflux of peoples of all stations drew ever more the eyes of Europe to the Orient.

From Project Gutenberg

It is said by some that he there died of vexation because he could not discover the cause of the flux and reflux of the Euripus.

From Project Gutenberg