effusion

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French effusion, from Latin effūsiō (“outpouring”). Displaced native Old English āgotennes.

noun

  1. A liquid outpouring.
  2. (chemistry, physics) Process of gases passing through a hole or holes considerably smaller than the mean free path of the gas molecules.
  3. (figurative, by extension) An outpouring of speech or emotion.
    1930; George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind, Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby; Animal Crackers, Paramount Pictures Captain Spaulding: My friends, I am highly gratified by this magnificent display of effusion […]
  4. (medicine) The seeping of fluid into a body cavity; the fluid itself.

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