porosity

[ paw-ros-i-tee, poh-, puh- ]

noun

, plural po·ros·i·ties

1. the state or quality of being porous.
2. Geology, Engineering. the ratio, expressed as a percentage, of the volume of the pores pore or interstices of a substance, as a rock or rock stratum, to the total volume of the mass.

porosity

/ pɔːˈrɒsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or condition of being porous
2. geology the ratio of the volume of space to the total volume of a rock

porosity

/ pə-rŏs′ĭ-tē,pô- /

1. The condition of being porous.
2. The ratio of the volume of all the pores in a material to the volume of the whole.

Word History and Origins

Origin of porosity¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English porosytee, from Medieval Latin porōsitās ; porous, -ity

Word History and Origins

Origin of porosity¹

C14: from Medieval Latin porōsitās, from Late Latin porus pore ²

Example Sentences

These characters are dependent principally, though not entirely, on the porosity of the soil.

From Project Gutenberg

This is due to the absence of pitch and the porosity of the wood.

From Project Gutenberg

An increase in the porosity of the filtering tube is not to be thought of, as this would allow very small germs to pass.

From Project Gutenberg

In this way all the organic matter will be burned, and the tube will resume its former porosity.

From Project Gutenberg

Porosity is therefore the reverse of plasticity and these two properties must be adjusted so as to balance each other.

From Project Gutenberg