emulsion
Americannoun
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Physical Chemistry. any colloidal suspension of a liquid in another liquid.
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such a suspension used in cosmetics.
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Pharmacology. a liquid preparation consisting of two completely immiscible liquids, one of which, as minute globules coated by a gum or other mucilaginous substance, is dispersed throughout the other: used as a means of making a medicine palatable.
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Photography. a composition sensitive to some or all of the actinic rays of light, consisting of one or more of the silver halides suspended in gelatin, applied in a thin layer to one surface of a film or the like.
noun
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photog a light-sensitive coating on a base, such as paper or film, consisting of fine grains of silver bromide suspended in gelatine
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chem a colloid in which both phases are liquids
an oil-in-water emulsion
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Also called: emulsion paint. a type of paint in which the pigment is suspended in a vehicle, usually a synthetic resin, that is dispersed in water as an emulsion. It usually gives a mat finish
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pharmacol a mixture in which an oily medicine is dispersed in another liquid
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any liquid resembling milk
Usage
What does emulsion mean? An emulsion is a mixture of two liquids that don’t fully combine. An emulsion may look like a single liquid, but it’s made up of particles of one liquid distributed throughout another liquid.For example, if you whisk together oil and water, it forms an emulsion in which small droplets of oil are suspended in the water, but the two liquids aren’t fully blended together (as they would be if you stirred together water and vinegar, for example).In technical chemistry terms, an emulsion is a colloidal suspension in which the substances mixed together are both liquids. Both colloids and suspensions involve particles of one substance distributed in another without being dissolved.The word emulsion is used in a variety of contexts, including pharmacology, cooking, and photography.In cooking, emulsions are made by blending two liquids or liquid-like ingredients into a smooth consistency. Salad dressings called vinaigrettes are typically emulsions of oil and vinegar.The word emulsion is used in a more specific way in photography to refer to a light-sensitive coating (consisting of a chemical suspended in gelatine) that’s applied to paper or film.The verb emulsify means to form an emulsion.Example: To properly make an emulsion of oil and vinegar, you have to whisk very hard to separate the oil into tiny droplets, or else the two liquids will separate.
Other Word Forms
- emulsive adjective
Etymology
Origin of emulsion
1605–15; < New Latin ēmulsiōn- (stem of ēmulsiō ), equivalent to Latin ēmuls ( us ) milked out ( ē- e- 1 + mulsus, past participle of mulgēre to milk) + -iōn- -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The study, "Culinary strategies for improving carotenoid bioaccessibility in kale: The role of thermal processing and excipient emulsions," was published in Food Nutrition.
From Science Daily
Creamy emulsions — like mayonnaise-based dressings or cheese sauces — can separate and turn grainy.
From Salon
These glass plates recorded images of the night sky using a light-sensitive emulsion covering their surface.
From Salon
His skill was perhaps most evident in his mastery of magical moles and his more inventive creations, like fried cochinita pibil head cheese with habanero ash emulsion, avocado mousse, and kumquat sauce.
From Salon
Personal skincare products, ranging from beauty cosmetics to medical creams, rely on sophisticated "chassis" formulations -- often emulsions or gels -- to effectively deliver active ingredients.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
