flotation

American  

[floh-tey-shuhn] / floʊˈteɪ ʃən /

Rarely floatation

noun

1. an act or state of floating.

2. the launching of a commercial venture, bond issue, loan, etc.

3. 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.

4. the science of floating bodies.

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flotation British  

/ fləʊˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. 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

2. power or ability to float; buoyancy

3. 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

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Etymology

Origin of flotation

First recorded in 1800–10; float + -ation; compare French flottaison ( flotsam )

Example Sentences

He says the move could even open up future processing options, including adding a conventional flotation circuit if later exploration supports it.

From The Wall Street Journal

The move paves the way for Kraken to be demerged from Octopus, and for a potential stock market flotation for the business in the future.

From BBC

Daunt also said he was a bit of an outlier in welcoming last week's Budget and he raised the prospect of a stock market flotation of the book chain.

From BBC

Prosecutors said she embezzled more than $150,000 from clients between 2019 and 2021 to cover other business and personal expenses, including for her side business, a yoga studio with flotation chambers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Another screen reminds us it is the 20th anniversary of the Nasdaq flotation of another tech company which went public here, now worth $3tn, Google.

From BBC

Related Words

• backing