viscous

WOTD - 5 March 2008    

English

Etymology

First attested in 1605. From Middle French viscous and Late Latin viscōsus, from viscum (“birdlime”).

Pronunciation

• (RP, US) IPA: /ˈvɪs.kəs/, SAMPA: /"vIs.k@s/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪskəs

Adjective

viscous (comparative more viscous, superlative most viscous)

1. Having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid
2. (physics) Of or pertaining to viscosity

Synonyms

• (having a thick consistency): syrupy, viscid, viscose

Derived terms

• viscously
• viscousness

Related terms

viscid viscidity viscoid viscoidal

viscose viscosimeter viscosity viscousness

Translations

having a thick, sticky consistency

Catalan: viscós (ca) Czech: vazký, lepkavý, viskózní Danish: viskøs (da) Dutch: viskeus (nl) Finnish: viskoottinen (fi) Galician: viscoso (gl) German: zähflüssig (de), viskos (de) Hindi: श्यान (hi) (śyān)

Japanese: 粘性の (ねんせいの, nensei no) Polish: lepki m., kleisty m. Portuguese: viscoso (pt) Romanian: vâscos (ro), cleios (ro) Russian: вязкий (ru) (v'ázkij) Serbian: viskozno (sr) n. Slovene: viskózen (sl) Spanish: viscoso (es)