saturation

[ sach-uh-rey-shuh n ]
/ ˌsætʃ əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

the act or process of saturating.
the state of being saturated.
Meteorology. a condition in the atmosphere corresponding to 100 percent relative humidity.
the degree of chroma or purity of a color; the degree of freedom from admixture with white.
Magnetism. the state of maximum magnetization of a ferromagnetic material.

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Origin of saturation

1545–55; < Late Latin saturātiōn- (stem of saturātiō) a filling, equivalent to saturāt(us) (see saturate) + -iōn- -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM saturation

de·sat·u·ra·tion, nounnon·sat·u·ra·tion, nouno·ver·sat·u·ra·tion, nounsub·sat·u·ra·tion, noun

Words nearby saturation

saturated fats, saturated fatty acid, saturated liquid, saturated vapor, saturater, saturation, saturation bombing, saturation diving, saturation index, saturation level, saturation point
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for desaturation (1 of 2)

desaturation
/ (diːˌsætʃəˈreɪʃən) /

noun

physics the addition of white light to a pure colour to produce a paler less saturated colour

British Dictionary definitions for desaturation (2 of 2)

saturation
/ (ˌsætʃəˈreɪʃən) /

noun

adjective

denoting the maximum possible intensity of coverage of an areasaturation bombing; a saturation release of a film
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

Medical definitions for desaturation (1 of 2)

desaturation
[ dē-săch′ə-rā′shən ]

n.

Conversion of a saturated compound to an unsaturated compound by the removal of hydrogen.

Medical definitions for desaturation (2 of 2)

saturation
[ săch′ə-rā′shən ]

n.

The act or process of saturating.
The condition of being saturated.
The condition of being full to or beyond satisfaction; satiety.
Filling of all the available sites on an enzyme molecule by its substrate, or on a hemoglobin molecule by molecular oxygen or carbon monoxide.
In optics, the degree which colors of the same wavelength are differentiated from one another on the basis of purity which correlates with the amount of white present, such as red from pink.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for desaturation

saturation
[ săch′ə-rā′shən ]

The state of a physical system, such as a solution, containing as much of another substance, such as a solute, as is possible at a given temperature or pressure.
The vividness of a color's hue. Saturation measures the degree to which a color differs from a gray of the same darkness or lightness. Compare hue value.
The state of being a saturated organic compound. See more at saturated.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.