emulsion

[ih-muhl-shuh n]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR emulsion ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Physical Chemistry. any colloidal suspension of a liquid in another liquid.

such a suspension used in cosmetics.

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.

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.

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

Related formse·mul·sive, adjective

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

Related Words for emulsion

varnish, oil, enamel, color, makeup, cosmetic, pigment, wax, dye, stain, latex, acrylic, ointment, paste, jelly, flat, coloring, overlay, rouge, gloss

Examples from the Web for emulsion

Contemporary Examples of emulsion

Set to cool and then blend on high speed to make an emulsion.
Taco Recipes & Vodka Cocktails: Perfect Pairings
Julieta Ballesteros
October 4, 2011
That's great if you're trying to create an emulsion, but Tejedor had a few other tricks in store.
Home Ec at Harvard
Laura Colarusso
December 6, 2010
Whisking oil and vinegar in a bowl is the most tenuous kind of emulsion.
The Way To Dress A Naked Salad
Chris Styler
July 7, 2009

Historical Examples of emulsion

If you use denatured alcohol, you are likely to have an emulsion as a result of the mixing.
Common Science
Carleton W. Washburne
Pour the emulsion into the filter reservoir and start the filtration.
The Elements of Bacteriological Technique
John William Henry Eyre
This emulsion is also excellent for the cabbage louse and many other insects.
The Cauliflower
A. A. Crozier
The commencement of the saponification is denoted by the formation of an emulsion.
The Handbook of Soap Manufacture
W. H. Simmons
The emulsion had been designed originally for infrared flash bulbs.
Smugglers' Reef
John Blaine

British Dictionary definitions for emulsion

emulsion

noun

photog a light-sensitive coating on a base, such as paper or film, consisting of fine grains of silver bromide suspended in gelatine

chem a colloid in which both phases are liquidsan oil-in-water emulsion

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

pharmacol a mixture in which an oily medicine is dispersed in another liquid

any liquid resembling milk

Derived Formsemulsive, adjective

Word Origin for emulsion

C17: from New Latin ēmulsiō, from Latin ēmulsus milked out, from ēmulgēre to milk out, drain out, from mulgēre to milk

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

Word Origin and History for emulsion

1610s, from French émulsion (16c.), from Modern Latin emulsionem (nominative emulsio), from emulsus, past participle of emulgere "to milk out," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + mulgere "to milk" (see milk (n.)). Milk is a classic instance of an emulsion, drops of one liquid dispersed throughout another.

emulsion in Medicine

emulsion

[ĭ-mŭl′shən]

n.

A suspension of small globules of one liquid in a second liquid with which the first will not mix.

Related formse•mul′sive adj.

emulsion in Science

emulsion

[ĭ-mŭl′shən]

A suspension of tiny droplets of one liquid in a second liquid. By making an emulsion, one can mix two liquids that ordinarily do not mix well, such as oil and water. Compare aerosol foam.

Related formsemulsify verb