sputtering

American  

[spuht-er-ing] / ˈspʌt ər ɪŋ /

noun

1. Engineering, Electronics. a process that uses ions of an inert gas to dislodge atoms from the surface of a crystalline material, the atoms then being electrically deposited to form an extremely thin coating on a glass, metal, plastic, or other surface.

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Other Word Forms

• unsputtering
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sputtering

First recorded in 1900–05; sputter + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Sputtering for years, at one point padlocked by the IRS, Pasadena Playhouse finally went dark in 1969.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2023

Sputtering supply chains have started to shunt the onus of testing from some private laboratories to their public counterparts, Peter Iwen, director of Nebraska’s Public Health Laboratory, said in an email.

From New York Times • Jul. 23, 2020

Sputtering electric vehicle startup Faraday Future has fired dozens of employees who have been on unpaid leave for months, including manufacturing workers hired to staff the company’s factory in Hanford, California, The Verge has learned.

From The Verge • Jun. 25, 2019

Sputtering about some inanity in the news, he seemed almost too fiery for the cool medium.

From Washington Post • Oct. 27, 2016

Sputtering, smoky torches had been set in wall holes every few feet.

From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi