| / English Dictionary |
ABSORBENT
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A material having capacity or tendency to absorb another substance
Synonyms:
absorbent; absorbent material
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("absorbent" is a kind of...):
sorbent; sorbent material (a material that sorbs another substance; i.e. that has the capacity or tendency to take it up by either absorption or adsorption)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "absorbent"):
sponge (a porous mass of interlacing fibers that forms the internal skeleton of various marine animals and usable to absorb water or any porous rubber or cellulose product similarly used)
absorber ((physics) material in a nuclear reactor that absorbs radiation)
absorbent cotton (cotton made absorbent by removal of the natural wax)
Derivation:
absorb (become imbued)
II. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Having power or capacity or tendency to absorb or soak up something (liquids or energy etc.)
Example:
as absorbent as a sponge
Synonyms:
absorbent; absorptive
Classified under:
Similar:
absorbefacient; sorbefacient (inducing or promoting absorption)
assimilating; assimilative; assimilatory (capable of taking (gas, light, or liquids) into a solution)
hygroscopic (absorbing moisture (as from the air))
receptive (able to absorb liquid (not repellent))
shock-absorbent (having the capacity to absorb the energy of an impact)
spongelike; spongy (like a sponge in being able to absorb liquids and yield it back when compressed)
thirsty (able to take in large quantities of moisture)
Attribute:
absorbency (the property of being absorbent)
Antonym:
nonabsorbent (not capable of absorbing or soaking up (liquids))
Derivation:
absorb (become imbued)
absorb (suck or take up or in)
absorbency (the property of being absorbent)
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