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.

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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

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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

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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.

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Etymology

Origin of stokes

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

Example Sentences

Asked in an interview last year which sportsperson he would swap places with, he said England Test captain Ben Stokes.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

England captain Ben Stokes said he is "lucky" and "might not be here" had things been slightly different when he was hit in the face by a cricket ball in February.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Stokes, McCullum and managing director Rob Key kept their jobs following an ECB review into the Ashes.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Stokes, who turns 35 on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand on 4 June, said he did not consider standing down or retiring.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

The first thing she was going to teach Agnes Stokes was when to keep her big mouth shut.

From "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson