Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

rarefaction

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.56 in modern English

Syllables: rar-efac-tion
IPA

16

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

3

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A reduction in the density of a material, especially that of a fluid.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"[T]his ſeal'd vial, being broken under water, ſuck'd in a conſiderable quantity of it, whether, becauſe of ſome little rarefaction of the Air included in the ſealing, or becauſe of the infrigidation of that Air by the ſnow, or for both theſe Reaſons, or any other, I ſhall not Now diſpute."
"..; but be particular to keep a firm hold over the cork of the bottle, or else the rarefaction will blow the cork out with the force of a shot: and an accident might acrue from fire."

Etymology

From Middle French raréfaction. By surface analysis, rarefy + -faction.

Usage

Inflected Forms

rarefactions (plural)

Derived Forms

rarefactional

Frequently Paired Words

rarefact

Antonyms

compression

Questions

What does rarefaction mean?: A reduction in the density of a material, especially that of a fluid.
Where does rarefaction come from?: From Middle French raréfaction. By surface analysis, rarefy + -faction.

How to pronounce rarefaction

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