viscous
pronunciation
How to pronounce viscous in British English:
UK [ˈvɪskəs]
How to pronounce viscous in American English:
US [ˈvɪskəs]
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- Adjective:
- having a relatively high resistance to flow
- having the properties of glue
Word Origin
- viscous (adj.)
- late 14c., from Anglo-French viscous and directly from Late Latin viscosus "sticky," from Latin viscum "anything sticky, birdlime made from mistletoe, mistletoe," probably from PIE root *weis- "to melt away, flow" (used of foul or malodorous fluids); see virus.
Example
- 1. Affix locking elements with viscous grease if necessary .
- 2. The oil they produce is more viscous and acidic than the norm , and so harder to handle .
- 3. The main reason raw vegetable oils do not normally work in diesel engines is that they are more viscous than standard diesel oil , and thus clog the engine 's fuel-delivery system .
- 4. For example , titanium dioxide ( a naturally occurring mineral often used as a pigment or thickener ) is considered to be safe when put into a viscous mixture , such as in sunscreen or toothpaste .
- 5. And at colder temperatures , oil is more viscous and diffuses less quickly .