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absorbent

[ab-sawr-buh nt, -zawr-]
adjective
  1. capable of absorbing heat, light, moisture, etc.; tending to absorb.
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noun
  1. something that absorbs: Tons of high-powered absorbents were needed to clean up the oil spill.
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Origin of absorbent

First recorded in 1710–20, absorbent is from the Latin word absorbent- (stem of absorbēns, present participle of absorbēre). See absorb, -ent
Related formsab·sorb·en·cy, nounnon·ab·sorb·en·cy, nounnon·ab·sorb·ent, adjective, nounpre·ab·sorb·ent, adjective, nounsem·i·ab·sorb·ent, adjectiveun·ab·sorb·ent, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for absorbency

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • But the amount of absorbency required is not so great as to preclude the use of size altogether.

    Wood-Block Printing

    F. Morley Fletcher

British Dictionary definitions for absorbency

absorbent

adjective
  1. able to absorb
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noun
  1. a substance that absorbs
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Derived Formsabsorbency, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for absorbency

n.

1762, noun of state from absorbent; see -cy.

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absorbent

1718, adjective and noun, from Latin absorbentem (nominative absorbens), present participle of absorbere (see absorb).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
absorbency in Medicine

absorbent

(əb-zôr′bənt)
adj.
  1. Capable of absorption; able to absorb.
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Related formsab•sorb′ent n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.