emulsion

[ih-muhl-shuhn]

noun

1. Physical Chemistry.,  any colloidal suspension of a liquid in another liquid.

2. such a suspension used in cosmetics.

3. Pharmacology.,  a liquid preparation consisting of two completely immiscible liquids, one of which, as minute globules coated by a gum or other mucilaginous substance, is dispersed throughout the other: used as a means of making a medicine palatable.

4. Photography.,  a composition sensitive to some or all of the actinic rays of light, consisting of one or more of the silver halides suspended in gelatin, applied in a thin layer to one surface of a film or the like.

emulsion

/ ɪˈmʌlʃən /

noun

1. photog a light-sensitive coating on a base, such as paper or film, consisting of fine grains of silver bromide suspended in gelatine

2. chem a colloid in which both phases are liquids

   an oil-in-water emulsion

3. Also called: emulsion paint. a type of paint in which the pigment is suspended in a vehicle, usually a synthetic resin, that is dispersed in water as an emulsion. It usually gives a mat finish

4. pharmacol a mixture in which an oily medicine is dispersed in another liquid

5. any liquid resembling milk

emulsion

1. A suspension of tiny droplets of one liquid in a second liquid. By making an emulsion, one can mix two liquids that ordinarily do not mix well, such as oil and water.

2. Compare aerosol foam

Other Word Forms

• emulsive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of emulsion¹

1605–15; < New Latin ēmulsiōn- (stem of ēmulsiō ), equivalent to Latin ēmuls ( us ) milked out ( ē- e- ¹ + mulsus, past participle of mulgēre to milk) + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of emulsion¹

C17: from New Latin ēmulsiō, from Latin ēmulsus milked out, from ēmulgēre to milk out, drain out, from mulgēre to milk

Example Sentences

Creamy emulsions — like mayonnaise-based dressings or cheese sauces — can separate and turn grainy.

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These glass plates recorded images of the night sky using a light-sensitive emulsion covering their surface.

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His skill was perhaps most evident in his mastery of magical moles and his more inventive creations, like fried cochinita pibil head cheese with habanero ash emulsion, avocado mousse, and kumquat sauce.

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Personal skincare products, ranging from beauty cosmetics to medical creams, rely on sophisticated "chassis" formulations -- often emulsions or gels -- to effectively deliver active ingredients.

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The experimental emulsion may have worked better than the commercial emulsion because it was absorbed into the animals' bloodstream two times faster.

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Related Words

• acrylic 
• color 
• cosmetic 
• dye 
• enamel 
• latex 
• makeup 
• oil 
• pigment 
• stain 
• varnish 
• wax 

When To Use

What does emulsion mean?

An emulsion is a mixture of two liquids that don’t fully combine. An emulsion may look like a single liquid, but it’s made up of particles of one liquid distributed throughout another liquid.For example, if you whisk together oil and water, it forms an emulsion in which small droplets of oil are suspended in the water, but the two liquids aren’t fully blended together (as they would be if you stirred together water and vinegar, for example).In technical chemistry terms, an emulsion is a colloidal suspension in which the substances mixed together are both liquids. Both colloids and suspensions involve particles of one substance distributed in another without being dissolved.The word emulsion is used in a variety of contexts, including pharmacology, cooking, and photography.In cooking, emulsions are made by blending two liquids or liquid-like ingredients into a smooth consistency. Salad dressings called vinaigrettes are typically emulsions of oil and vinegar.The word emulsion is used in a more specific way in photography to refer to a light-sensitive coating (consisting of a chemical suspended in gelatine) that’s applied to paper or film.The verb emulsify means to form an emulsion.Example: To properly make an emulsion of oil and vinegar, you have to whisk very hard to separate the oil into tiny droplets, or else the two liquids will separate.