absorption — English Dictionary

Noun

1. The act or process of absorbing or of being absorbed as,

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   The sponge showed remarkable absorption of water.

   Plants rely on the absorption of sunlight for photosynthesis.

   More examples (1)

   His complete absorption in the novel made him lose track of time.

2. The act or process of absorbing or of being absorbed as, engulfing; swallowing up, as of bodies or land.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Obsolete
   • Uncountable

3. The act or process of absorbing or of being absorbed as, assimilation; incorporation.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   the absorption of a smaller tribe into a larger

   the absorption of bodies in a whirlpool

4. The act or process of absorbing or of being absorbed as, the imbibing or reception by molecular or chemical action, of radiant energy; the process of being neutrons being absorbed by the nucleus; interception.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • physical
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   the absorption of light, heat, electricity, etc.

5. The act or process of absorbing or of being absorbed as, The process in which incident radiant energy is retained by a substance (such as an air mass) by conversion to some other form of energy (such as heat).

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

6. The act or process of absorbing or of being absorbed as, in living organisms, the process by which the materials of growth and nutrition are absorbed and conveyed to the tissues and organs; taking in by various means, such as by osmosis.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

7. Entire engrossment or occupation of the mind.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   absorption in some employment

   A complete absorption testified their breathless interest.

8. Mental assimilation.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

9. The retaining of electrical energy for a short time after it has been introduced to the dielectric.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

Noun

1. (chemistry) a process in which one substance permeates another; a fluid permeates or is dissolved by a liquid or solid

   Synonyms

   soaking up

   Broader terms

   sorption

2. (physics) the process in which incident radiated energy is retained without reflection or transmission on passing through a medium

   Broader terms

   natural processnatural actionactionactivity

   Examples

   the absorption of photons by atoms or molecules

3. the social process of absorbing one cultural group into harmony with another

   Synonyms

   assimilation

   Broader terms

   social process

4. the process of absorbing nutrients into the body after digestion

   Synonyms

   assimilation

   Broader terms

   organic processbiological process

5. complete attention; intense mental effort

   Synonyms

   concentrationengrossmentimmersion

   Broader terms

   attention

6. the mental state of being preoccupied by something

   Synonyms

   preoccupationpreoccupancyengrossment

   Broader terms

   cognitive statestate of mind