What does absorption mean?

Definitions for absorption
æbˈsɔrp ʃən, -ˈzɔrp-ab·sorp·tion

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word absorption.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. absorption, soaking upnoun

    (chemistry) a process in which one substance permeates another; a fluid permeates or is dissolved by a liquid or solid

  2. absorptionnoun

    (physics) the process in which incident radiated energy is retained without reflection or transmission on passing through a medium

    "the absorption of photons by atoms or molecules"

  3. assimilation, absorptionnoun

    the social process of absorbing one cultural group into harmony with another

  4. assimilation, absorptionnoun

    the process of absorbing nutrients into the body after digestion

  5. concentration, engrossment, absorption, immersionnoun

    complete attention; intense mental effort

  6. preoccupation, preoccupancy, absorption, engrossmentnoun

    the mental state of being preoccupied by something

Wiktionary

  1. absorptionnoun

    The act or process of absorbing or sucking in anything.

  2. absorptionnoun

    The act or process of being absorbed and made to disappear.

  3. absorptionnoun

    An imbibing or reception by molecular or chemical action, of radiant energy.

    the absorption of light, heat, electricity, etc.

  4. absorptionnoun

    In living organisms, the process by which the materials of growth and nutrition are absorbed and conveyed to the tissues and organs.

  5. absorptionnoun

    Entire engrossment or occupation of the mind.

    absorption in some employment

  6. Etymology: * First attested in 1597.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Absorptionnoun

    The act of swallowing up.

    Etymology: from absorb.

    It was below the dignity of those sacred penmen, or the spirit of God that directed them, to shew us the causes of this disruption, or of this absorption; this is left to the enquiries of men. Thomas Burnet, Theory of the Earth.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Absorptionnoun

    the act or process of absorbing or sucking in anything, or of being absorbed and made to disappear; as, the absorption of bodies in a whirlpool, the absorption of a smaller tribe into a larger

  2. Absorptionnoun

    an imbibing or reception by molecular or chemical action; as, the absorption of light, heat, electricity, etc

  3. Absorptionnoun

    in living organisms, the process by which the materials of growth and nutrition are absorbed and conveyed to the tissues and organs

  4. Absorptionnoun

    entire engrossment or occupation of the mind; as, absorption in some employment

  5. Etymology: [L. absorptio, fr. absorbere. See Absorb.]

Freebase

  1. Absorption

    In chemistry, absorption is a physical or chemical phenomenon or a process in which atoms, molecules, or ions enter some bulk phase – gas, liquid, or solid material. This is a different process from adsorption, since molecules undergoing absorption are taken up by the volume, not by the surface. A more general term is sorption, which covers absorption, adsorption, and ion exchange. Absorption is a condition in which something takes in another substance. If absorption is a physical process not accompanied by any other physical or chemical process, it usually follows the Nernst partition law: The value of constant KN depends on temperature and is called partition coefficient. This equation is valid if concentrations are not too large and if the species "x" does not change its form in any of the two phases "1" or "2". If such molecule undergoes association or dissociation then this equation still describes the equilibrium between "x" in both phases, but only for the same form – concentrations of all remaining forms must be calculated by taking into account all the other equilibria. In the case of gas absorption, one may calculate its concentration by using, e.g., the Ideal gas law, c = p/RT. In alternative fashion, one may use partial pressures instead of concentrations.

U.S. National Library of Medicine

  1. Absorption

    The physical or physiological processes by which substances, tissue, cells, etc. take up or take in other substances or energy.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. absorption

    A term formerly used for the sinking of islands and tracts of land, instead of subsidence.

How to pronounce absorption?

How to say absorption in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of absorption in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of absorption in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of absorption in a Sentence

  1. Lawrence Kileo:

    When the forest is logged or burned, not only does carbon absorption stop but the carbon stored in trees and other vegetation is released into the atmosphere, increasing the amount of climate-changing gases.

  2. Kara Landau:

    Unripe bananas contain one of the world’s richest sources of prebiotic resistant starch, which resists digestion as it travels through your gut and feeds the beneficial bacteria living in your large intestine. A well-nourished gut microbiota will multiply and diversity, leading to better gut health, good gut health is linked to reduced inflammation, improved immunity, enhanced nutrient absorption, a supported mood, and less digestive issues, all of which can help you look and feel younger! For those that do not like the taste and texture of unripe bananas, green banana flour contains resistant starch in a different form, and can easily be added to smoothies and overnight oats.

  3. Rebecca Marcus:

    [Allantoin's] keratolytic action helps to gently exfoliate skin and prepare it for optimal absorption of moisturizing agents.

  4. Cynthia Sass:

    Vitamin C gives non-heme iron a sizable boost, upping its absorption by six times, so pair beans with foods like bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, and citrus.

  5. Brandon Flowers:

    I attribute my discovery and absorption of his music with helping me become a more authentic writer, he helped me to see the extraordinary in everyday people and their lives. And in this case, it was my parents who were under the microscope. Their faith and doubts, their search for salvation in the desert. It sounds Biblical. It also sounds Springsteenian.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

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Translations for absorption

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • استيعابArabic
  • поглъщане, всмукване, абсорбцияBulgarian
  • absorpce, vstřebávání, vstřebáníCzech
  • Vertiefung, AbsorptionGerman
  • απορρόφησηGreek
  • absorboEsperanto
  • concentración, absorciónSpanish
  • imendumine, neeldumineEstonian
  • absorptio, sulauttaminen, uppoutuminen, imeyttäminen, sulautuminen, imeytyminenFinnish
  • absorptionFrench
  • abszorpcióHungarian
  • 没頭, 吸収, 吸い込み, 併合, 夢中Japanese
  • 흡수Korean
  • effusioLatin
  • penyerapan, absorpsiMalay
  • absorptie, opnameDutch
  • zaabsorbowanie, pochłanianie, przyswajanie, absorbowanie, absorpcjaPolish
  • absorção, concentraçãoPortuguese
  • absorbire, absorbțieRomanian
  • поглощение, всасывание, впитывание, абсорбция, поглощённостьRussian
  • апсорпција, apsorpcijaSerbo-Croatian
  • emmeTurkish

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"absorption." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. Web. 1 Apr. 2023. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/absorption>.

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