mist

[ mist ]

/ mɪst /

noun

a cloudlike aggregation of minute globules of water suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth's surface, reducing visibility to a lesser degree than fog.

a cloud of particles resembling this: She sprayed a mist of perfume onto her handkerchief.

something that dims, obscures, or blurs: the mist of ignorance.

a haze before the eyes that dims the vision: a mist of tears.

a suspension of a liquid in a gas.

a drink of liquor served over cracked ice.

a fine spray produced by a vaporizer to add moisture to the air for breathing.

verb (used without object)

to become misty.

to rain in very fine drops; drizzle (usually used impersonally with it as subject): It was misting when they went out for lunch.

verb (used with object)

to make misty.

to spray (plants) with a finely diffused jet of water, as a means of replacing lost moisture.

Nearby words

misstate, misstep, misstrike, missus, missy, mist, mist., mistakable, mistake, mistake for, mistaken

Origin of mist

before 900; (noun) Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch, Low German, Swedish mist; akin to Greek omíchlē fog, Russian mgla mist, Sanskrit megha cloud; (v.) Middle English misten, Old English mistian, derivative of the noun

SYNONYMS FOR mist

3, 4 See cloud.

Related forms

mist·less, adjectivede·mist, verb (used with object)un·der·mist, noun

Can be confused

midst missed mist

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for demist (1 of 2)

demist

/ (diːˈmɪst) /

verb

to free or become free of condensation through evaporation produced by a heater and/or blower

British Dictionary definitions for demist (2 of 2)

mist

/ (mɪst) /

noun

a thin fog resulting from condensation in the air near the earth's surface

meteorol such an atmospheric condition with a horizontal visibility of 1–2 kilometres

a fine spray of any liquid, such as that produced by an aerosol container

chem a colloidal suspension of a liquid in a gas

condensed water vapour on a surface that blurs the surface

something that causes haziness or lack of clarity, such as a film of tears

verb

to cover or be covered with or as if with mist

Word Origin for mist

Old English; related to Middle Dutch, Swedish mist, Greek omikhlē fog

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

Science definitions for demist

mist

[ mĭst ]

A mass of fine droplets of water in the atmosphere near or in contact with the Earth. Mist reduces visibility to not less than 1 km (0.62 mi). Compare fog.