liquid

[ lik-wid ]
See synonyms for: liquidliquids on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. composed of molecules that move freely among themselves but do not tend to separate like those of gases; neither gaseous nor solid.

  2. of, relating to, or consisting of liquids: a liquid diet.

  1. flowing like water.

  2. clear, transparent, or bright: liquid eyes.

  3. (of sounds, tones, etc.) smooth; agreeable; flowing freely: the liquid voice of a trained orator.

  4. in cash or readily convertible into cash without significant loss of principal: liquid assets.

  5. Phonetics. characterizing a frictionless speech sound pronounced with only a partial obstruction of the breath stream and whose utterance can be prolonged as that of a vowel, especially l and r.

  6. (of movements, gestures, etc.) graceful; smooth; free and unconstricted: the ballerina's liquid arabesques.

noun
  1. a liquid substance.

  2. Phonetics. either r or l, and sometimes m, n, ng.

Origin of liquid

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English liquyd, from Latin liquidus, equivalent to liqu(ēre) “to be liquid” + -idus-id4

synonym study For liquid

1. Liquid, fluid agree in referring to matter that is not solid. Liquid commonly refers to substances, as water, oil, alcohol, and the like, that are neither solids nor gases: Water ceases to be a liquid when it is frozen or turned to steam. Fluid is applied to anything that flows, whether liquid or gaseous: Pipes can carry fluids from place to place.

Other words from liquid

  • liq·uid·ly, adverb
  • liq·uid·ness, noun
  • non·liq·uid, adjective, noun
  • non·liq·uid·ly, adverb
  • un·liq·uid, adjective

Words that may be confused with liquid

  • fluid, gas, liquid (see synonym study at the current entry)

Words Nearby liquid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use liquid in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for liquid

liquid

/ (ˈlɪkwɪd) /


noun
  1. a substance in a physical state in which it does not resist change of shape but does resist change of size: Compare gas (def. 1), solid (def. 1)

  2. a substance that is a liquid at room temperature and atmospheric pressure

  1. phonetics a frictionless continuant, esp (l) or (r)

adjective
  1. of, concerned with, or being a liquid or having the characteristic state of liquids: liquid wax

  2. shining, transparent, or brilliant

  1. flowing, fluent, or smooth

  2. (of assets) in the form of money or easily convertible into money

Origin of liquid

1
C14: via Old French from Latin liquidus, from liquēre to be fluid

Derived forms of liquid

  • liquidly, adverb
  • liquidness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for liquid

liquid

[ lĭkwĭd ]


  1. One of four main states of matter, composed of molecules that can move about in a substance but are bound loosely together by intramolecular forces. Unlike a solid, a liquid has no fixed shape, but instead has a characteristic readiness to flow and therefore takes on the shape of any container. Because pressure transmitted at one point is passed on to other points, a liquid usually has a volume that remains constant or changes only slightly under pressure, unlike a gas.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for liquid

liquid

A phase of matter in which atoms or molecules can move freely while remaining in contact with one another. A liquid takes the shape of its container. (Compare gas and solid.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.