capillarity

American  

[kap-uh-lar-i-tee, -ler-] / ˌkæp əˈlær ɪ ti, -ˈlɛr- /

noun

1. Also called capillary attraction.  Also called capillary action;.  Physics. a manifestation of surface tension by which the portion of the surface of a liquid coming in contact with a solid is elevated or depressed, depending on the adhesive or cohesive properties of the liquid.

---

capillarity British  

/ ˌkæpɪˈlærɪtɪ /

noun

1. Also called: capillary action.  a phenomenon caused by surface tension and resulting in the distortion, elevation, or depression of the surface of a liquid in contact with a solid

---

Other Word Forms

• noncapillarity noun

Etymology

Origin of capillarity

First recorded in 1820–30; capillary + -ty ²

Example Sentences

Arsène Dumont seems to have been one of the first who observed this significance of the oscillation of the birth-rate, though he expressed it in a somewhat peculiar way, as the social capillarity theory.

From The Task of Social Hygiene by Ellis, Havelock

Before leaving the subject of capillarity let us examine the enlarged jewel in Fig.

From A Treatise on Staff Making and Pivoting Containing Complete Directions for Making and Fitting New Staffs from the Raw Material by Hall, Eugene Edward

The first thing I do is to melt the tallow, the melted tallow being drawn up by the capillarity of the wick.

From The Story of a Tinder-box by Tidy, Charles Meymott

Besides his contributions to optics, Young made distinct advances in connection with elasticity, and with surface-tension, or "capillarity."

From Heroes of Science: Physicists by Garnett, William

As the proletariat is enabled to enjoy the prospect of rising it comes under the action of this law of social capillarity, and the birth-rate falls.

From The Task of Social Hygiene by Ellis, Havelock