emission

An emission is something that has been emitted—released or discharged. In general, emissions consist of things like gas, liquid, heat, sound, light, and radiation.

Emissions can come from natural sources or from machines. A specific example of an emission is the exhaust from cars (in the U.S., such emissions are regulated through emissions tests). This exhaust is just one form of carbon emissions—greenhouse gases from various sources that are known to contribute to global warming and climate change.

Emission can also refer to an instance or the process of emitting, as in This filter is designed to reduce the emission of light. 

Example: Carbon dioxide emissions from volcanoes are much lower than those from cars and airplanes.

The first records of the word emission come from the early 1600s. It ultimately derives from the Latin verb ēmittere, from e-, meaning “out of,” and mittere, “to send.”

An emission is something sent out from something else. Such emissions are often by-products released during the course of other processes—such as smoke being emitted from a factory or heat being emitted from a machine. Emissions from cars and airplanes come from the burning of fuel by their engines. In physics and electronics, the word is used in a more specific way to refer to the amount of electrons being emitted from an object.

What are some other forms related to emission?

• emissive (adjective)
• nonemission (noun)
• reemission (verb)
• emit (verb)

What are some synonyms for emission?

• discharge
• emanation

What are some words that share a root or word element with emission? 

• remission
• remit
• mission

What are some words that often get used in discussing emission?

• carbon
• car
• exhaust
• gas
• liquid
• fluid
• sound
• light
• heat
• radiation
• pollution
• electron

Emissions are usually discussed in technical or scientific contexts.

The drop in carbon emissions due to coronavirus lockdowns won’t last. But as we rebuild, we have a unique opportunity to make the structural changes required to hit net-zero targets, says Corinne Le Quéré https://t.co/zvZeA9hOL6 pic.twitter.com/g6CyogTezd

— New Scientist (@newscientist) July 6, 2020

BREAKING: Twenty-three states sue to stop Trump administration from revoking California's authority to set auto emission standards.

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 20, 2019

"I propose this evening to speak to you on a new kind of radiation or light emission from atoms and molecules."

– Venkata Raman at the University of Calcutta on 16 March 1928. He was awarded the #NobelPrize for the Raman effect. pic.twitter.com/87DxJ0EBva

— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) March 16, 2020

An emission can consist of which of the following things?

A. liquid
B. gas
C. sound
D. all of the above