noun
effusion
Effusion (noun) means a sudden, uncontrolled outpouring of speech or emotion. Example: “His letter was full of effusions of gratitude.”
noun
1
A sudden, uncontrolled outpouring of speech or emotion.
"The housekeeper, a very decorative brunette of thirty-five with a pseudo-English accent, greeted him with a mixture of grateful effusion and condescending patronage."
— William Hatfield, Buffalo Jim (1946)
"His letter was full of effusions of gratitude."
2
A liquid that has leaked or seeped out, or the act of it doing so; in medicine, fluid that has escaped into a body cavity.
"Doctors drained the effusion that had built up around his knee."
How to use effusion
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn outpouring — either of emotion in speech, or of fluid escaping somewhere it shouldn't.
When to use it
The medical sense (fluid in a body cavity) is common in clinical language; the emotional sense feels a bit literary or old-fashioned.
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Word forms
- Plural
- effusions
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
His letter was full of _____ of gratitude.
Etymology
From Latin effusio, "a pouring out," related to effundere, "to pour forth."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for effusion
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for effusion →
Frequently asked questions
What does “effusion” mean?
The word “effusion” means a sudden, uncontrolled outpouring of speech or emotion. In plain terms, an outpouring — either of emotion in speech, or of fluid escaping somewhere it shouldn't.
How do you use “effusion” in a sentence?
Here is “effusion” used in a sentence: “His letter was full of effusions of gratitude.”
What part of speech is “effusion”?
“Effusion” is a noun.
Where does the word “effusion” come from?
The word “effusion” comes from Latin. From Latin effusio, "a pouring out," related to effundere, "to pour forth.".
How many meanings does “effusion” have?
“Effusion” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a sudden, uncontrolled outpouring of speech or emotion.
