viscous
Americanadjective
-
of a glutinous nature or consistency; sticky; thick; adhesive.
-
having the property of viscosity.
adjective
-
(of liquids) thick and sticky; viscid
-
having or involving viscosity
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of viscous
1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin viscōsus, equivalent to Latin visc ( um ) mistletoe, birdlime (made with mistletoe berries) + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
Viscous means sticky, gluey and syrupy. So if something is viscous, you usually don't want to stick your fingers in it — that goes for boogers and maple syrup alike. Not quite a solid and not quite a liquid, scientists like to say that viscous things don't flow very easily. They glop and slug around slowly, sticking to whatever they come in contact with. Think of making a batch of Rice Krispie treats: One minute the marshmallows are solid little rounds; the next minute they're melted into a web of sticky white goo that's somehow attached itself to the Rice Krispies, the spoon, the countertops, your nose, the front door, and the dog.
Vocabulary lists containing viscous
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Grade 11, List 6
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Stroke of Genius: Words About Painting
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After prolonged exposure to the viscous fluid, they had become smaller and easier to deform, allowing them to maneuver through the narrow gaps between the device's microscopic pillars.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
A lava dome forms when relatively thick, viscous lava accumulates around a volcanic vent rather than flowing freely across the surrounding landscape.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
Some were intact and she was surprised to see they still contained a viscous, glossy residue.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
The area has massive reserves of heavy, viscous crude that U.S. refineries greatly prefer over other kinds of oil.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
She brought me a vast, viscous, canary-yellow wedge of lemon pie.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
