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effluvium

noun ef·flu·vi·um \ e-ˈflü-vē-əm \
variants: or less commonly effluvia play \e-ˈflü-vē-ə\

Definition of effluvium

plural -via also effluviums
1 :an invisible emanation; especially :an offensive exhalation or smell
2 :a by-product especially in the form of waste

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Examples of effluvium in a Sentence

  1. the effluvia from local sewage treatment plants polluting the river

Recent Examples of effluvium from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'effluvium.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of effluvium

Latin effluvium act of flowing out, from effluere

effluvium Synonyms

Synonyms
chaff, deadwood, debris, dreck (also drek), dross, dust, garbage (also effluvia), junk, litter, offal, offscouring, raffle, refuse, riffraff, rubbish, scrap, spilth, trash, truck, waste
Related Words
crud, sewage, slop, swill, wash; detritus, remains, rubble, ruins; dump, scrap heap; lumber, odds and ends, trumpery; flotsam, jetsam, wreckage; castoff, cull, discard, hand-me-down, reject, throwaway; nothing, straw, two bits
Near Antonyms
catch, gem, goody (or goodie), jewel, pearl, plum, prize, treasure, treasure trove, trove, valuable; booty, find, salvage

Medical Dictionary

effluvium

noun ef·flu·vi·um \ e-ˈflü-vē-əm \

medical Definition of effluvium

plural -via play \-vē-ə\ or effluviums
:an invisible emanation; especially :an offensive exhalation or smell —the form effluvia often used with a singular verb

Learn More about effluvium

  1. See words that rhyme with effluvium Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for effluvium Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about effluvium

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Examples: effluvium in a Sentence