viscosity

American  

[vi-skos-i-tee] / vɪˈskɒs ɪ ti /

noun

• viscosities
  plural

1. the state or quality of being viscous.

2. Physics.

   1. the property of a fluid that resists the force tending to cause the fluid to flow.

   2. the measure of the extent to which a fluid possesses this property.

---

viscosity British  

/ vɪsˈkɒsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or property of being viscous

2. physics

   1. the extent to which a fluid resists a tendency to flow

   2. η. Also called: absolute viscosity. a measure of this resistance, equal to the tangential stress on a liquid undergoing streamline flow divided by its velocity gradient. It is measured in newton seconds per metre squared See also kinematic viscosity specific viscosity

---

viscosity Scientific  

/ vĭ-skŏs′ĭ-tē /

1. The resistance of a substance to flow. For example, water has a lower viscosity than molasses and flows more easily. Viscosity is related to the concept of shear force; it can be understood as the effect of different layers of the fluid exerting shearing force on each other, or on other surfaces, as they move against each other. Viscosity lies behind the skin friction component of drag.

2. ◆ Kinematic viscosity is a measure of the rate at which momentum is transferred through a fluid. It is measured in stokes.

3. ◆ Dynamic viscosity is a measure of the ratio of the stress on a region of a fluid to the rate of change of strain it undergoes. It is equal to the kinematic viscosity times the density of the fluid. It is measured in pascal-seconds or poises.

---

viscosity Cultural  

1. The internal friction of a fluid, produced by the movement of its molecules against each other. Viscosity causes the fluid to resist flowing.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hyperviscosity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• viscosities
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of viscosity

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin viscōsitās, from Latin viscōs(us) viscous + -itās -ity

---

Explanation

Viscosity is the thickness of a liquid. Water flows easily. Honey does not — that's why it has greater viscosity than water. Viscosity, pronounced "vis-KOSS-ih-tee," tells you how sticky a liquid is. In the working of machines and car engines, viscosity is important. Thick oils and lubricants that have high viscosity, meaning they coat and cling, keep hard metal parts from wearing down as they rub together. Oils with dense viscosity keep machine parts from having too much friction and burning out.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

viscosity viscosities

Its viscosity depends not only on molecular properties but also on how these components interact.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

Mafic magma has relatively low viscosity and is rich in magnesium and iron.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

The goal is to find the perfect viscosity of chocolate on Magnum bars, for the perfect crunch.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Soon, this liquid ferments into a tangy beverage with a touch of viscosity, somewhat like Mexico’s pulque.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

She seems unaffected by the newfound viscosity in the air.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

At lower viscosities, the liquids could not be broken because the testing equipment could not stretch them fast enough.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 30, 2026

The team then tested the stability of the lava under a range of speeds, viscosities, and layer thicknesses.

From Science Magazine ● Jun. 9, 2023

Break it in two at room temperature and its various layers will stretch and ooze at different delicious viscosities.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 3, 2018

As you might expect, the viscosities of gases are much less than those of liquids, and these viscosities are often temperature dependent.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

Further experiments showed that this is also true of the second mixture, as the viscosities of the following mixtures illustrate: Strength of Solution. η Z. C. 80 per cent.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 821, September 26, 1891 by Various

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---