noun

porosity

puh-ROS-ih-tee

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Porosity (noun) means the quality of a material having many small holes or gaps that let liquid or air pass through. Example: “The porosity of the rock allowed water to seep through slowly.”

noun

The quality of a material having many small holes or gaps that let liquid or air pass through.

"The porosity of the rock allowed water to seep through slowly."

"Testers checked the porosity of the fabric before approving it for the tent."

"High porosity in the soil helps it drain quickly after rain."

technical A measurement of how porous a material is, worked out as the proportion of its volume made up of empty pores.

"The lab recorded a porosity of thirty percent for the sample."

"Engineers compared the porosity of different concrete mixes."

"A higher porosity value means the material holds more air or liquid within it."

How to use porosity

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishPorosity is about how many tiny holes a material has and how easily things can pass through it.

When to use it

The countable, measured sense is more technical and turns up mainly in scientific or engineering contexts.

Memory tip

Think of porosity as a scale: the more holes a material has, the higher its porosity.

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Common pairings

high porosity low porosity measure porosity porosity of the soil rock porosity

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “porosity” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ of the rock allowed water to seep through slowly.

Etymology

The word is formed from porous with the suffix -ity added to turn the adjective into a noun describing a state or quality.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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porousness

Rhymes for porosity

city deity acuity parity brevity opacity paucity ability quality reality annuity gravity

See all rhymes for porosity →

Frequently asked questions

What does porosity mean in simple terms?

It describes how full of tiny holes or gaps a material is, which affects how easily liquid or air can pass through it.

How is porosity measured?

It is calculated as the ratio of the volume of the pores within a material to its total volume.

Is porosity the same as porousness?

Yes, in its basic sense porosity is synonymous with porousness, describing the quality of being porous.

What is the meaning of porosity?

"porosity" (noun) means the quality of a material having many small holes or gaps that let liquid or air pass through.