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friction

[ frik-shuhn ]
/ ˈfrɪk ʃən /
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See synonyms for: friction / frictionless on Thesaurus.com
noun
surface resistance to relative motion, as of a body sliding or rolling.
the rubbing of the surface of one body against that of another.
dissension or conflict between persons, nations, etc., because of differing ideas, wishes, etc.
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Origin of friction

1575–85; <Latin frictiōn- (stem of frictiō) a rubbing, equivalent to frict(us) (past participle of fricāre) + -iōn--ion

OTHER WORDS FROM friction

Words nearby friction

frication, fricative, Frick, fricking, FRICS, friction, frictional, frictional soil, frictional unemployment, friction clutch, friction drive
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to friction

agitation, erosion, irritation, resistance, animosity, antagonism, bad blood, bickering, conflict, discontent, discord, disharmony, dispute, dissension, hassle, hatred, hostility, quarrel, resentment, rivalry

How to use friction in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for friction

friction
/ (ˈfrɪkʃən) /
noun
a resistance encountered when one body moves relative to another body with which it is in contact
the act, effect, or an instance of rubbing one object against another
disagreement or conflict; discord
phonetics the hissing element of a speech sound, such as a fricative
perfumed alcohol used on the hair to stimulate the scalp

Derived forms of friction

frictional, adjectivefrictionless, adjective

Word Origin for friction

C16: from French, from Latin frictiō a rubbing, from fricāre to rub, rub down; related to Latin friāre to crumble
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

Scientific definitions for friction

friction
[ frĭk′shən ]
A force on objects or substances in contact with each other that resists motion of the objects or substances relative to each other.♦ Static friction arises between two objects that are not in motion with respect to each other, as for example between a cement block and a wooden floor. It increases to counterbalance forces that would move the objects, up to a certain maximum level of force, at which point the objects will begin moving. It is measured as the maximum force the bodies will sustain before motion occurs.♦ Kinetic friction arises between bodies that are in motion with respect to each other, as for example the force that works against sliding a cement block along a wooden floor. Between two hard surfaces, the kinetic friction is usually somewhat lower than the static friction, meaning that more force is required to set the objects in motion than to keep them in motion. See also drag.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for friction

friction

The resistance of an object to the medium through which or on which it is traveling, such as air, water, or a solid floor.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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