fluid

1 of 2

adjective

flu·​id ˈflü-əd How to pronounce fluid (audio)
1
a
: having particles that easily move and change their relative position without a separation of the mass and that easily yield to pressure : capable of flowing
a long screw that forces the fluid chocolate through fine openingsTechnical Survey
b
: subject to change or movement
boundaries became fluid
2
: characterized by or employing a smooth easy style
the ballerina's fluid movements
fluid recitation of his lines
3
a
: available for various uses
a fluid computer program
b
: liquid sense 4
fluid assets
fluidly adverb
fluidness noun

fluid

2 of 2

noun

: a substance (such as a liquid or gas) tending to flow or conform to the outline of its container
fluidal adjective
fluidally adverb
fluidlike adjective

Examples of fluid in a Sentence

Adjective a substance in a fluid state warm the jam until it is fluid, then spread it over the cake Noun Please check the fluids in the car's engine. She needs to drink plenty of fluids. Fluid leaked from the car's engine. a bottle of yellow fluid
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The Ghanaian American singer, raised between Atlanta, New Jersey, and Accra, has a unique grasp of many cultures, allowing for a music of osmosis that’s fluid enough to blend punk and baile funk and everything in between. The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 Due to microgravity, there is more fluid accumulating in the upper part of the body and head, resulting in higher pressure in the skull. Fox News, 15 Mar. 2024 The American canon is more capacious, more fluid, and more fragile than perhaps ever before. The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2024 Crossing patterns are fluid along the border and can change frequently due to enforcement efforts at particular locations, control over human smuggling routes or other reasons. Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2024 Technology has allowed for a really fluid style of reporting. Terence McGinley, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Her style is simultaneously tough yet fluid, precious but accessible, expertly curated except for the raw wildness that threatens to rip all that signature KNWLS tulle apart. Alice Newbold, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2024 This can be a pretty fluid circumstance, unfortunately. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024 Life is fluid and some experiences run their course. Madison Butler, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024
Noun
Increasing fiber without adding adequate fluids can lead to more constipation, Qureshi said. Dua Aldasouqi, Health, 13 Mar. 2024 Lesions start out small and flat, but eventually grow and fill with fluid. Claire Wolters, Verywell Health, 12 Mar. 2024 Timing contractions, the pressure of a fetus against the pelvis, the mysterious fluids produced during labor and the almost mechanical way hospitals treat their patients are all mined for clever jokes. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 The initial recall fix had involved Ford updating parts in the vehicles and inspecting them to check the connection between the power steering pressure line and the hydraulic brake booster unit to prevent a sudden loss of power steering fluid, according to NHTSA. Detroit Free Press, 1 Mar. 2024 Cells excrete waste products into interstitial fluid, which surrounds and separates cells. William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Men typically require more fluids than women due to larger average body size, and older adults may need to pay more attention to hydration due to a decreased sense of thirst. Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 The outdoor air passes over a heat exchanger containing a fluid, or refrigerant, that has a very low boiling point. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2024 Pedialyte Electrolyte Solution Water is key to staying hydrated, but electrolyte solutions, like Pedialyte, also help with hydration if a child has been losing excessive fluids from puking or experiencing diarrhea. Katrina Cossey, Parents, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fluid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

French or Latin; French fluide, from Latin fluidus, from fluere to flow; akin to Greek phlyzein to boil over

First Known Use

Adjective

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1661, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fluid was in 1603

Dictionary Entries Near fluid

Cite this Entry

“Fluid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluid. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fluid

1 of 2 adjective
flu·​id ˈflü-əd How to pronounce fluid (audio)
1
a
: capable of flowing like a liquid or gas
b
: likely or tending to change or move
2
: showing a smooth easy style
fluid movements
fluidly adverb
fluidness noun

fluid

2 of 2 noun
: a substance tending to flow or take the shape of its container
liquids and gases are fluids
fluidlike adjective
Etymology

Adjective

from French fluide or Latin fluidus, both meaning "fluid, able to flow," from Latin fluere "to flow" — related to affluent, fluent, flush entry 2, influence, superfluous

Medical Definition

fluid

1 of 2 adjective
flu·​id ˈflü-əd How to pronounce fluid (audio)
: having particles that easily move and change their relative position without a separation of the mass and that easily yield to pressure : capable of flowing

fluid

2 of 2 noun
: a substance (as a liquid or gas) tending to flow or conform to the outline of its container
specifically : one in the body of an animal or plant see cerebrospinal fluid, seminal fluid

More from Merriam-Webster on fluid

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