hydraulics
Americannoun
noun
-
The scientific study of water and other liquids, in particular their behavior under the influence of mechanical forces and their related uses in engineering.
-
A mechanical device or system using hydraulic components.
Etymology
Origin of hydraulics
Explanation
Hydraulics is the science of the way fluids move. It's the branch of physics and engineering that focuses on the mechanics of liquids. If you want to be a civil engineer, you should probably learn about hydraulics. If you decide to study hydraulics, you'll learn about how fluids like water and oil are used in mechanical tasks. You might read up on hydraulic jacks, which can lift cars using oil that's forced into a cylinder using a kind of pump; or hydraulic fracturing, also known as "fracking," which uses a liquid under pressure to fracture rock and extract oil or gas. Hydraulics comes from the Greek hydraulikos, or "water organ," an ancient musical instrument.
Vocabulary lists containing hydraulics
Engineering - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Mechanical Engineering
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Engineering - Middle School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
It’s in the way the steering hydraulics softly attenuate kickback at full lock.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
Team-mate Lando Norris was seventh fastest after missing three-quarters of the session with a hydraulics problem.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
Information gathered during these flights has helped engineers evaluate key systems, including fuel delivery, hydraulics, environmental controls, and the aircraft's eXternal Vision System.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026
Eaton divested its lighting and hydraulics businesses in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026
She probably would not have read this treatise on the hydraulics of Versailles by an eighteenth-century Dane who extolled in Latin the genius of Le Notre.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
