compressibility

[ kuhm-pres-uh-bil-i-tee ]

noun

, plural com·press·i·bil·i·ties

1. the quality or state of being compressible.
2. Physics. the reciprocal of the bulk modulus, equal to the ratio of the fractional change in volume to the stress applied to a body.

compressibility

/ kəmˌprɛsɪˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the ability to be compressed
2. physics the reciprocal of the bulk modulus; the ratio of volume strain to stress at constant temperature k

Other Words From

• noncom·pressi·bili·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of compressibility¹

First recorded in 1685–95; compressible ( def ) + -ity

Example Sentences

Some current models to explain water anomalies cannot adequately reproduce the thermodynamic properties of water, such as its compressibility and heat capacity.

From Science Daily

"Our goal was to create a metafluid that not only possesses these remarkable attributes but also provides a platform for programmable viscosity, compressibility and optical properties."

From Science Daily

The researchers had predicted that liquified material would be easier to squeeze than solid rock, but the “compressibility” they observed in the experiments was even greater than expected.

From Scientific American

His first significant contribution to science concerned the springiness, or compressibility, of air, and involved the most famous experiment of his illustrious career.

From Literature

When World War II fighter planes approached supersonic speed during dives, pilots often lost control because of “compressibility” — a phenomenon that buffeted their craft with shock waves and rendered their controls terrifyingly useless.

From Los Angeles Times