noun
suction
SUHK-shuhn
noun
1
A force that pulls or holds things together because the pressure in a space is lower than the pressure around it.
"The vacuum cleaner uses suction to lift dirt from the carpet."
"The rubber sucker stuck to the tile through suction."
verb
1
To draw something up or in by lowering the pressure in a space.
"The dentist suctioned saliva from the patient's mouth during the procedure."
How to Use Suction
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe pulling force created when pressure is lower in one space than another, so things get drawn in or held on.
Common pairings
create suction
suction cup
suction power
Word Forms
suctioned past tense, suctions plural, suctions singular
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The vacuum cleaner uses _____ to lift dirt from the carpet.
Etymology
From Latin sūctiō, related to sūgō, "to suck." The word has been used in English since the early 1600s.