suction

American  

[suhk-shuhn] / ˈsʌk ʃən /

noun

1. the act, process, or condition of sucking. sucking.

2. the force that, by a pressure differential, attracts a substance or object to the region of lower pressure.

3. the act or process of producing such a force.

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verb (used with object)

1. to draw out or remove by aspiration.

suction British  

/ ˈsʌkʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of sucking

2. the force or condition produced by a pressure difference, as the force holding a suction cap onto a surface

3. the act or process of producing such a force or condition

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suction Scientific  

/ sŭk′shən /

1. A force acting on a fluid caused by difference in pressure between two regions, tending to make the fluid flow from the region of higher pressure to the region of lower pressure.

2. The act of reducing pressure to create such a force, as by the use of a pump or fan.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsuction noun
• suctional adjective

Etymology

Origin of suction

1605–15; < Late Latin sūctiōn- (stem of sūctiō ) a sucking, equivalent to Latin sūct ( us ) (past participle of sūgere to suck ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Strong "gorilla" pincers are used for picking up heavier boxes or, for more delicate items, a suction device can be used.

From BBC

They have a suction top and they’re really easy to open and close and stack.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Is that a suction cup connecting it to the wall?”

From Literature

The suction dragged Christopher down into black, whirling chaos.

From Literature

Its two submersibles have everything from hydraulic collection arms and suction tubes to high-definition cameras, allowing them to uncover the improbable life found in some of the harshest conditions on Earth.

From Barron's

Related Words

• consumption
• digestion
• intake
• penetration
• retention
• saturation