spongy

[spuhn-jee]

See more synonyms for spongy on Thesaurus.com

adjective, spon·gi·er, spon·gi·est.

of the nature of or resembling a sponge; light, porous, and elastic or readily compressible, as pith or bread.
having the absorbent characteristics of a sponge; absorbing or holding liquid or yielding liquid when pressed.
of or relating to a sponge.

lacking in firmness or solidity: spongy wood; a spongy feeling from the car brakes.
moist and soft; soggy: spongy ground.
porous but hard, as bone.

Origin of spongy

First recorded in 1530–40; sponge + -y¹

Related formsspon·gi·ly, adverbspon·gi·ness, nounun·spong·y, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for spongy

Contemporary Examples

The half-circle of bread gets squeezed open to become a pocket like a huge, spongy pita.
The Jersey Shore’s Biggest Weiners Are at Jimmy Buff’s
Jane & Michael Stern
June 15, 2014
But last fall it seemed as if the spongy, sickly-sweet confections would disappear from the face of the earth.
Twinkies Are Coming Back: The Metropoulos Brothers on the Brand
Daniel Gross
April 8, 2013
The tenderloin is rare when soft and spongy, and it becomes firmer as it reaches medium to well done.
The Maori Star Chef Rocking the South Pacific
Lea Lane Stern
April 2, 2011

Historical Examples

The loaves will be found to rise well in the oven, to be more light and spongy, and also whiter than bread in the common way.
The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches,
Mary Eaton
The stem is shorter than the diameter of the cap, smooth, white, and solid or spongy.
The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise
M. E. Hard
(g) The spongy lead may be bulged, or the positives may be buckled.
The Automobile Storage Battery
O. A. Witte
Wood soft, that of the roots light and spongy and used for corks.
Trees of the Northern United States
Austin C. Apgar
This is due to the action between the spongy lead and the electrolyte.
The Automobile Storage Battery
O. A. Witte

British Dictionary definitions for spongy

spongy

adjective -gier or -giest

of or resembling a sponge, esp in texture, porosity, elasticity, or compressibilityspongy bread; spongy bone
of or like a sponge in respect of its capacity to absorb fluid and yield it when compressed

Derived Formsspongily, adverbsponginess, noun

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 spongy

adj.

"soft, elastic," 1530s, from sponge (n.) + -y (2). Related: Sponginess.

spongy in Medicine

spongy

(spŭn′jē)

adj.

Resembling a sponge in appearance, elasticity, or porosity.

Related formsspong′i•ness n.

spongy

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Related Words

Examples from the Web for spongy

Contemporary Examples

The half-circle of bread gets squeezed open to become a pocket like a huge, spongy pita.

But last fall it seemed as if the spongy, sickly-sweet confections would disappear from the face of the earth.

The tenderloin is rare when soft and spongy, and it becomes firmer as it reaches medium to well done.

Historical Examples

The loaves will be found to rise well in the oven, to be more light and spongy, and also whiter than bread in the common way.

The stem is shorter than the diameter of the cap, smooth, white, and solid or spongy.

(g) The spongy lead may be bulged, or the positives may be buckled.

Wood soft, that of the roots light and spongy and used for corks.

This is due to the action between the spongy lead and the electrolyte.

spongy

Word Origin and History for spongy

adj.

spongy

Origin of spongy