turbidity

Rarely tur·bid·ness

[tur-bid-i-tee]

noun

1. the state or quality of being clouded or opaque, usually because of suspended matter or stirred-up sediment.

   Other potential risks to water resources include increased turbidity from the erosion of cleared and excavated land.

Word History and Origins

Origin of turbidity¹

First recorded in 1620–30; from Medieval Latin turbiditās, from Latin turbid(us) + -itās -ity ( def. ); turbid ( def. )

Example Sentences

After leaving the mixture overnight, they measured its turbidity, or cloudiness, to see whether the viruses had successfully infected the bacteria.

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Over the past 3,000 years, it contained a repeating pattern of turbidites -- sediment layers deposited by underwater landslides known as turbidity currents.

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These ships also risk causing turbidity, making the water opaque by stirring up the seafloor, and thereby harming the balance of species and food pyramid.

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Worldwide, the turbidity of many coastal waters has been declining for decades, making the tidal flats sensitive to loss.

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In October, they placed 20 sensors off West Maui that measure temperature, salinity, oxygen, turbidity and chlorophyll every five minutes.

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