Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Jump To:
  • Stokes
    Stokes
    noun
    Carl B(urton), 1927–1996, U.S. politician: the first Black mayor of a major U.S. city (Cleveland, Ohio, 1967–71).
  • stokes
    stokes
    noun
    the cgs unit of kinematic viscosity, equal to the viscosity of a fluid in poise divided by its density in grams per cubic centimetre. 1 stokes is equivalent to 10 –4 square metre per second

Stokes

American  
[stohks] / stoʊks /

noun

  1. Carl B(urton), 1927–1996, U.S. politician: the first Black mayor of a major U.S. city (Cleveland, Ohio, 1967–71).

  2. Sir Frederick Wilfrid Scott, 1860–1927, British inventor and engineer.

  3. Sir George Gabriel, 1819–1903, British physicist and mathematician, born in Ireland.


stokes British  
/ stəʊks /

noun

  1.  St.  the cgs unit of kinematic viscosity, equal to the viscosity of a fluid in poise divided by its density in grams per cubic centimetre. 1 stokes is equivalent to 10 –4 square metre per second

"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

stokes 1 Scientific  
/ stōks /
stokes plural
  1. The unit of kinematic viscosity in the centimeter-gram-second system, measured in square centimeters per second.

  2. See more at viscosity


Stokes 2 Scientific  
  1. Irish mathematician and physicist who investigated the wave theory of light and described the phenomena of diffraction (1849) and fluorescence (1852) and the nature of x-rays. He also investigated fluid dynamics, developing the modern theory of motion of viscous fluids. A unit of kinematic viscosity is named for him.


Etymology

Origin of stokes

C20: named after Sir George Stokes (1819–1903), British physicist

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.

See Examples For:

Loki Stokes, the food bank's food logistics manager, added that he has "never seen our stock this low".

From BBC Jul. 21, 2026

“No forum is too small, technical or peripheral for careerist Chinese diplomats seeking recognition for defending Beijing’s position,” said Jacob Stokes, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for a New American Security think tank.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 20, 2026

“Like finding out that people were literally trying to smuggle giant vats of ranch,” said Stacy Stokes, the brand’s vice president of marketing and sales.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 17, 2026

"Being back at Durham, when I wasn't playing in the second Test, I found a new lease of life for the game, but unfortunately I just couldn't get that feeling back," said Stokes.

From BBC Jul. 15, 2026

I drove to Stokes and worked a ten-hour shift.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

“Geopolitical tension should drive safe-haven buying, but when it spikes oil, it stokes inflation, which pushes the Fed to tighten — and that’s gold’s kryptonite,” he said, referring to gold’s weakness.

From MarketWatch Jun. 30, 2026

The European Central Bank is expected to hike interest rates this week for the first time in two and a half years as the Iran war energy shock stokes inflation.

From Barron's Jun. 8, 2026

A pattern emerges: The crowd suspects a problem, then Pangram validates the suspicion, stokes the mob, and sells the solution.

From Slate Apr. 17, 2026

If inflation accelerates and stokes expectations of higher prices, the central bank will respond, she said.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 9, 2026

Bree stokes the small fire and places more pots of tea on the iron rack.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training