emulsion

noun

emul·​sion i-ˈməl-shən 

1

a

: a system (such as fat in milk) consisting of a liquid dispersed with or without an emulsifier in an immiscible liquid usually in droplets of larger than colloidal size

b

: the state of such a system

2

: suspension sense 2b(3)

especially : a suspension of a sensitive silver salt or a mixture of silver halides in a viscous medium (such as a gelatin solution) forming a coating on photographic plates, film, or paper

Synonyms

• admixture
• alloy
• amalgam
• amalgamation
• blend
• cocktail
• combination
• composite
• compound
• conflation
• fusion
• intermixture
• meld
• mix
• mixture
• synthesis

Examples of emulsion in a Sentence

milk is basically an oil-in-water emulsion

Recent Examples on the Web

The formula has a wax-in-water emulsion that stretches lashes and lasts for up to 24 hours. —Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025

When Pecorino Romano is mixed with hot water, the proteins must remain finely dispersed to create a smooth emulsion. —The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 28 Jan. 2025

These glass plates recorded images of the night sky using a light-sensitive emulsion covering their surface. —Chris Impey, The Conversation, 24 Jan. 2025

At Four Twenty Five, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s midtown palace of fine dining, dig into a lunch of butternut squash soup with kohlrabi sauerkraut and pumpkin seed tapenade and pan-roasted hake served with a hakurei turnip–jalapeno emulsion. —Ellen Carpenter, AFAR Media, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin emulsion-, emulsio, from Latin emulgēre to milk out, from e- + mulgēre to milk; akin to Old English melcan to milk, Greek amelgein

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for emulsion

• avulsion
• compulsion
• convulsion
• expulsion
• impulsion
• propulsion
• repulsion
• revulsion
• microemulsion

Kids Definition

emulsion

noun

emul·​sion i-ˈməl-shən 

: a material consisting of a mixture of liquids that do not dissolve in each other and having droplets of one liquid scattered throughout the other

an emulsion of oil in water

Medical Definition

emulsion

noun

emul·​sion i-ˈməl-shən 

1

a

: a system (as fat in milk) consisting of a liquid dispersed with or without an emulsifier in an immiscible liquid usually in droplets of larger than colloidal size

b

: the state of such a system

2

: suspension sense 2

especially : a suspension of a sensitive silver salt or a mixture of halides of silver in a viscous medium (as a gelatin solution) forming a coating on photographic plates, film, or paper

emulsive

-ˈməl-siv 

adjective