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.
Viscous fibres, found in oats, seeds and some fruits and vegetables, slow down the speed sugar is absorbed and reduce sugar spikes in the bloodstream.
From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026
Viscous rhythms lurch and splatter, creating herky-jerky grooves, and noise bursts splatter here and there.
From Salon • Sep. 25, 2022
Viscous barbecue sauce proved challenging, but slowing down our pour or tapping or shaking the funnel can mitigate that problem.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 23, 2020
Viscous magma doesn’t flow easily, so even if there is a way for it to move out, it may not flow out.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015
It promotes insensible Perspiration, dissolves all Phlegmatick and Viscous Humours, that are apt to obstruct the Narrow channels of the Nerves.
From Our Southern Highlanders by Kephart, Horace
Definitions 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.
