definitions

flotation

or float·a·tion

[ floh-tey-shuh n ]
/ floʊˈteɪ ʃən /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR flotation ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an act or state of floating.
the launching of a commercial venture, bond issue, loan, etc.
Metallurgy. a process for separating the different minerals in a mass of powdered ore based on their tendency to sink in, or float on, a given liquid.
the science of floating bodies.

RELATED WORDS

backing, cornerstone, footing, buttress, groundwork, rod, back, rest, pole, bed, rampart, rib, timber, foothold, stanchion, lining, bedding, stake, stave, prop

Nearby words

floss, floss hole, flossie, flossy, flotage, flotation, flotation bags, flotation method, flotation tank, flote grass, flotel

Origin of flotation

1800–10; float + -ation; compare French flottaison (see flotsam)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for flotation

British Dictionary definitions for flotation

flotation

floatation

/ (fləʊˈteɪʃən) /

noun

  1. the launching or financing of a commercial enterprise by bond or share issues
  2. the raising of a loan or new capital by bond or share issues
power or ability to float; buoyancy
Also called: froth flotation a process to concentrate the valuable ore in low-grade ores. The ore is ground to a powder, mixed with water containing surface-active chemicals, and vigorously aerated. The bubbles formed trap the required ore fragments and carry them to the surface froth, which is then skimmed off
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 flotation

flotation

n.

1850s, from float (v.) + -ation. Spelling influenced by French (cf. floatation).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Medicine definitions for flotation

flotation

[ flō-tā′shən ]

n.

The process of separating different materials, especially minerals, by agitating a pulverized mixture of the materials with water, oil, and chemicals. Differential wetting of the suspended particles causes unwetted particles to be carried by air bubbles to the surface for collection.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.