liquid

American  

[lik-wid] / ˈlɪk wɪd /

adjective

1. composed of molecules that move freely among themselves but do not tend to separate like those of gases; neither gaseous nor solid.

2. of, relating to, or consisting of liquids.

   a liquid diet.

3. flowing like water.

4. clear, transparent, or bright.

   liquid eyes.

5. (of sounds, tones, etc.) smooth; agreeable; flowing freely.

   the liquid voice of a trained orator.

6. in cash or readily convertible into cash without significant loss of principal.

   liquid assets.

7. Phonetics. characterizing a frictionless speech sound pronounced with only a partial obstruction of the breath stream and whose utterance can be prolonged as that of a vowel, especially l and r.

8. (of movements, gestures, etc.) graceful; smooth; free and unconstricted.

   the ballerina's liquid arabesques.

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noun

1. a liquid substance.

2. Phonetics. either r or l, and sometimes m, n, ng.

liquid British  

/ ˈlɪkwɪd /

noun

1. a substance in a physical state in which it does not resist change of shape but does resist change of size Compare gas solid

2. a substance that is a liquid at room temperature and atmospheric pressure

3. phonetics a frictionless continuant, esp ( l ) or ( r )

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adjective

1. of, concerned with, or being a liquid or having the characteristic state of liquids

   liquid wax

2. shining, transparent, or brilliant

3. flowing, fluent, or smooth

4. (of assets) in the form of money or easily convertible into money

liquid Scientific  

/ lĭk′wĭd /

1. One of four main states of matter, composed of molecules that can move about in a substance but are bound loosely together by intramolecular forces. Unlike a solid, a liquid has no fixed shape, but instead has a characteristic readiness to flow and therefore takes on the shape of any container. Because pressure transmitted at one point is passed on to other points, a liquid usually has a volume that remains constant or changes only slightly under pressure, unlike a gas.

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liquid Cultural  

1. A phase of matter in which atoms or molecules can move freely while remaining in contact with one another. A liquid takes the shape of its container. (Compare gas and solid.)

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Related Words

Liquid, fluid agree in referring to matter that is not solid. Liquid commonly refers to substances, as water, oil, alcohol, and the like, that are neither solids nor gases: Water ceases to be a liquid when it is frozen or turned to steam. Fluid is applied to anything that flows, whether liquid or gaseous: Pipes can carry fluids from place to place.

Other Word Forms

• liquidly adverb
• liquidness noun
• nonliquid adjective
• nonliquidly adverb
• unliquid adjective

Etymology

Origin of liquid

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English liquyd, from Latin liquidus, equivalent to liqu(ēre) “to be liquid” + -idus -id ⁴

Example Sentences

HYSAs are more liquid and withdrawals are limited to half a dozen per month.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

Cal-Maine has been growing its specialty eggs and prepared foods businesses, which includes liquid and ready-to-eat egg products.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

People who are struggling and rely on heating oil or liquid petroleum gas will be eligible for a one-off payment of £200 if they are part of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Instead, liquid water likely interacted with different parts of the asteroid under varying conditions, creating a patchwork of chemical environments.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

All around Japan, sections of parking lot and road seemed to turn to liquid.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland