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

---

stokes ¹ Scientific  

/ stōks /

plural

stokes

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

"I hope they're giving themselves the best chance of coming up for selection when we get together to do that," Stokes said.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

England captain Ben Stokes is still recovering after surgery on a broken cheekbone and will not play for Durham next week as planned.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

After those decisions were confirmed this week, Stokes said the past three months have been "the hardest period" of his England captaincy, and backed the current regime to take the team forward.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Stokes has not played since the end of England's dismal Ashes defeat.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Agnes Stokes danced along beside them, trying to entice Gilly to join her in a trip to the deli, but Gilly was too intent on getting W.E. home.

From "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson