turbidity

American  

[tur-bid-i-tee] / tɜrˈbɪd ɪ ti /

Rarely turbidness

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.

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Etymology

Origin of turbidity

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

Explanation

Turbidity is a quality of cloudiness or murkiness, particularly of water. The turbidity of the lake at your summer camp might make you wonder if the water is safe for swimming (of course, if you stand there wondering for too long, your bunkmate might push you in). When the turbidity of a liquid is high, that means it's hard to see light through it — it's nearly opaque. A body of water's turbidity can reflect how healthy it might be for organisms living there. For example, the turbidity of your fish tank can tell you a lot about how recently it's been cleaned. The Latin source of this word, turbidus, means "muddy or full of confusion."

Example Sentences

This approach works best for water with low turbidity, meaning it is relatively clear and requires fewer preliminary treatment steps.

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

Modern dishwashers use a turbidity sensor to detect how dirty the water, and therefore the dish, is.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

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.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2025

For his research, Grandjean linked decades of satellite measurements of tidal areas around the world with data on the turbidity of the water, which is also measured by satellites.

From Science Daily • May 6, 2024

In addition, turbidity of the water prevented effective collection of stunned fish in the deeper pools.

From Fish Populations, Following a Drought, in the Neosho and Marais des Cygnes Rivers of Kansas by Deacon, James Everett