absorption

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

Related to absorption: absorption costing, Absorption of Light

ab·sorp·tion

(əb-zôrp′shən, -sôrp′-)

1. The act or process of absorbing or the condition of being absorbed.

2. A state of mental concentration.

[Latin absorptiō, absorptiōn-, from absorptus, past participle of absorbēre, to absorb; see absorb.]

ab·sorp′tive (-tĭv) adj.

ab′sorp·tiv′i·ty n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

absorption

(əbˈsɔːpʃən; -ˈzɔːp-)

1. the process of absorbing or the state of being absorbed

2. (Medicine) physiol

a. normal assimilation by the tissues of the products of digestion

b. the passage of a gas, fluid, drug, etc, through the mucous membranes or skin

3. (General Physics) physics a reduction of the intensity of any form of radiated energy as a result of energy conversion in a medium, such as the conversion of sound energy into heat

4. (Physiology) immunol the process of removing superfluous antibodies or antigens from a mixture using a reagent

[C16: from Latin absorptiōn-, from absorbēre to absorb]

abˈsorptive adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ab•sorp•tion

(æbˈsɔrp ʃən, -ˈzɔrp-)

n.

1. the act of absorbing.

2. the state of being absorbed.

3. assimilation; incorporation.

4. preoccupation; engrossment.

5. assimilation by molecular or chemical action.

6. the removal of energy or particles from a beam by the medium through which the beam propagates.

[1590–1600; < Latin absorptiō <absorb(ēre) to absorb]

ab•sorp′tive, adj., n.

ab·sorp·tion

(əb-sôrp′shən)

1. Biology The movement of a substance, such as a liquid or solute, across a cell membrane by means of diffusion or osmosis.

2. Chemistry The process of drawing a gas or liquid into a solid through the minute spaces between its parts. Compare adsorption.

3. Physics The taking up and storing of energy, such as radiation, light, or sound, without it being reflected or transmitted.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

absorption

1. Uptake of substances, such as digested food and oxygen, into cells.

2. The transfer of digested nutrients from the alimentary canal into blood or lymph.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	absorption - (chemistry) a process in which one substance permeates another; a fluid permeates or is dissolved by a liquid or solid soaking up chemical science, chemistry - the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions imbibition - (chemistry) the absorption of a liquid by a solid or gel sorption - the process in which one substance takes up or holds another (by either absorption or adsorption)
	2.	absorption - (physics) the process in which incident radiated energy is retained without reflection or transmission on passing through a medium; "the absorption of photons by atoms or molecules" natural philosophy, physics - the science of matter and energy and their interactions; "his favorite subject was physics" extinction - the reduction of the intensity of radiation as a consequence of absorption and radiation natural action, natural process, action, activity - a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings); "the action of natural forces"; "volcanic activity"
	3.	absorption - the social process of absorbing one cultural group into harmony with another assimilation Americanisation, Americanization - assimilation into American culture Anglicisation, Anglicization - the act of anglicizing; making English in appearance Europeanisation, Europeanization - assimilation into European culture social process - a process involved in the formation of groups of persons Westernisation, Westernization - assimilation of Western culture; the social process of becoming familiar with or converting to the customs and practices of Western civilization
	4.	absorption - the process of absorbing nutrients into the body after digestion assimilation anabolism, constructive metabolism - the synthesis in living organisms of more complex substances (e.g., living tissue) from simpler ones together with the storage of energy malabsorption - abnormal absorption of nutrients from the digestive tract biological process, organic process - a process occurring in living organisms
	5.	absorption - complete attention; intense mental effort engrossment, immersion, concentration attention - the faculty or power of mental concentration; "keeping track of all the details requires your complete attention" centering, focus, focusing, focussing, focal point, direction - the concentration of attention or energy on something; "the focus of activity shifted to molecular biology"; "he had no direction in his life" specialism - the concentration of your efforts on a particular field of study or occupation study - a state of deep mental absorption; "she is in a deep study"
	6.	absorption - the mental state of being preoccupied by something preoccupancy, preoccupation, engrossment cognitive state, state of mind - the state of a person's cognitive processes abstractedness, abstraction - preoccupation with something to the exclusion of all else absentmindedness - preoccupation so great that the ordinary demands on attention are ignored

absorption

noun

1. soaking up, consumption, digestion, sucking up, osmosis Vitamin C increases absorption of iron.

2. assimilation, integration, inclusion, fusion, incorporation, amalgamation Two new camps were set up for the absorption of refugees.

3. immersion, holding, involvement, concentration, occupation, engagement, fascination, preoccupation, intentness, captivation, raptness He was struck by the artists' total absorption in their work.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

absorption

noun

1. The process of absorbing and incorporating, especially mentally:

assimilation, digestion.

2. Total occupation of the attention or of the mind:

engrossment, enthrallment, immersion, preoccupation, prepossession.

Translations

إمْتِصَاص، إسْتِيعَاب، إنْهِمَاك فِي

абсорбция

pohlcenívstřebání

absorbtion

Absorption Aufsaugen vertieft

απορρόφηση

absorción

absorptioimeyttäminenimeytyminensulauttaminensulautuminen

absorption

abszorpciófelszívás

ísog, upptaka

assorbimento profondo interesse

absorptie opname

absorpsjon opptatthet

absorbowanieabsorpcjapochłanianieprzyswajanie

абсорбция впитывание всасывание поглощение поглощённость

pohltenie

vpijanje

emme

吸收

absorption

[əbˈzɔːpʃən]

A. N (Comm, fig) → absorción f

B. CPD absorption costing N → cálculo m del costo de absorción

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

absorption

[əbˈzɔː^rpʃ^ən] n

(= absorbing) [liquid, heat, iron, vitamins] → absorption f

(into country, community) [refugees, immigrants] → absorption f

(= concentration) → attention f
her absorption in her work → son attention dans son travail

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

absorption

n → Absorption f, → Aufnahme f; (of liquid also) → Aufsaugung f; (of vibration) → Auffangen nt; (of shock) → Dämpfung f; (of people, firm) → Integration f; her total absorption in her family/studies → ihr vollkommenes Aufgehen in ihrer Familie/ihrem Studium; to watch with absorption → gefesselt or gebannt beobachten

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

absorption

[əbˈsɔːpʃ/ən] n

a. (Physiology) → assorbimento (Aut) → ammortizzamento (fig) (of person into group) → integrazione f

b. (fig) → concentrazione f
his absorption in his work prevented him from noticing ... → era così assorbito nel suo lavoro che non ha notato...

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

absorb

(əbˈzoːb) verb

1. to soak up. The cloth absorbed the ink I had spilled.

2. to take up the whole attention of (a person). He was completely absorbed in his book.

abˈsorbent adjective

able to soak up. absorbent paper.

abˈsorption (-ˈzoːp-) noun

ab·sorp·tion

n. absorción.

1. acto de ingerir o introducir líquidos u otras sustancias en el organismo;

cutaneous ___ → ___ cutánea;

mouth ___ → ___ bucal;

parenteral ___ → ___ parenteral;

intestinal ___ → ___ entérica;

stomach ___ → ___ estomacal

2. ensimismación.

absorption

n absorción f

References in classic literature ?

The commander of the first Roman galley must have looked with an intense absorption upon the estuary of the Thames as he turned the beaked prow of his ship to the westward under the brow of the North Foreland.

View in context

Pierre during the last two years, as a result of his continual absorption in abstract interests and his sincere contempt for all else, had acquired in his wife's circle, which did not interest him, that air of unconcern, indifference, and benevolence toward all, which cannot be acquired artificially and therefore inspires involuntary respect.

View in context

My fancy made a picture of them distended with three weeks' absorption of mineral springs.

View in context

It seemed to Philip, brooding over these matters, that in the true painters, writers, musicians, there was a power which drove them to such complete absorption in their work as to make it inevitable for them to subordinate life to art.

View in context

Her eyes and cheeks had an almost feverish brilliancy; her head was thrown backward, and her hands were clasped with the palms outward, and with that tension of the arms which is apt to accompany mental absorption.

View in context

One of the most important forces in this period of his slow preparation was his study of German and his absorption of the idealistic philosophy of Kant, Schelling, and Fichte, of the broad philosophic influence of Goethe, and the subtile influence of Richter.

View in context

Jerry, the messenger, who had made his own observations, in his own manner, and who had been sucking the rust off his fingers in his absorption, stretched his neck to hear who they were.

View in context

It was an expression of unconscious placid gravity--of absorption in thoughts that had no connection with the present moment or with her own personality--an expression that is most of all discouraging to a lover.

View in context

Nothing bad passed for half an hour-- nothing at least, to be exact, but that each of the companions occasionally and covertly intermitted her pursuit in such a manner as to ascertain the degree of absorption of the other without turning round.

View in context

When she was too lonely, she would go to them and shed her own troubles and problems by absorption in those of others.

View in context

In her absorption she did not note the sudden activity upon the vessel, the purring of the engines, the throbbing of the propeller.

View in context

Such was his absorption that the pretty stenographer slowly and imperceptibly faded from the forefront of his consciousness.