rarefaction

[ rair-uh-fak-shuh n ]

/ ˌrɛər əˈfæk ʃən /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR rarefaction ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or process of rarefying.

the state of being rarefied.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

rare gas, rare-earth element, rare-earth metals, rarebit, raree show, rarefaction, rarefactive, rarefied, rarefy, rarely, rarely ever

Origin of rarefaction

1595–1605; < Medieval Latin rārēfactiōn- (stem of rārēfactiō), equivalent to Latin rārēfact(us) (past participle of rārēfacere; see rarefy) + -iōn- -ion

Related formsrar·e·fac·tion·al, adjectiverar·e·fac·tive

[rair-uh-fak-tiv] /ˌrɛər əˈfæk tɪv/, adjective

Can be confuseddiffraction diffusion reflection rarefaction refraction

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rarefaction

The question finally comes down to the effect of the rarefaction of air on life.
Mars and its Mystery|Edward Sylvester Morse
Indicate the parts of the curve that correspond to a condensation and to a rarefaction.
Physics|Willis Eugene Tower
The rarefaction of the air and the scanty pasturage were the worst troubles.
Trans-Himalaya, Vol. 1 (of 2)|Sven Hedin
The air may be rendered dielectrically weak also by rarefaction.
The inventions, researches and writings of Nikola Tesla|Thomas Commerford Martin

Just as it reaches the top the prong is beginning to move inwards, causing a rarefaction of the air behind it.
How it Works|Archibald Williams

British Dictionary definitions for rarefaction

rarefaction

rarefication (ˌrɛərɪfɪˈkeɪʃən)

/ (ˌrɛərɪˈfækʃən) /

noun

the act or process of making less dense or the state of being less dense

Derived Formsrarefactional, rareficational or rarefactive, adjective

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 rarefaction

rarefaction

c.1600, from Middle French raréfaction or directly from Medieval Latin rarefactionem (nominative rarefactio), noun of action from past participle stem of Latin rarefacere (see rarefy). Used chiefly in reference to gasses.

Medicine definitions for rarefaction

rarefaction

[ râr′ə-făk′shən ]

n.

A decrease in density and pressure in a medium, such as air, caused by the passage of a sound wave.

Science definitions for rarefaction

rarefaction

[ râr′ə-făk′shən ]

A decrease in density and pressure in a medium, such as air, especially when caused by the passage of a wave, such as a sound wave.

The region in which this occurs.