flotation

American  

[floh-tey-shuhn] / floʊˈteɪ ʃən /

Rarely floatation

noun

1. an act or state of floating.

2. the launching of a commercial venture, bond issue, loan, etc.

3. Metallurgy. a process for separating the different minerals in a mass of powdered ore based on their tendency to sink in, or float on, a given liquid.

4. the science of floating bodies.

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flotation British  

/ fləʊˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. 1. the launching or financing of a commercial enterprise by bond or share issues

   2. the raising of a loan or new capital by bond or share issues

2. power or ability to float; buoyancy

3. Also called: froth flotation.  a process to concentrate the valuable ore in low-grade ores. The ore is ground to a powder, mixed with water containing surface-active chemicals, and vigorously aerated. The bubbles formed trap the required ore fragments and carry them to the surface froth, which is then skimmed off

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Etymology

Origin of flotation

First recorded in 1800–10; float + -ation; compare French flottaison ( see flotsam)

Explanation

When something is buoyant, carried on the surface of water, that's flotation. If you have a swimming pool in your backyard, you definitely need at least one unicorn-shaped flotation device. The ability to float is flotation, which can also be spelled floatation. A flotation device can be a safety feature on a boat, like the floating foam rings that can be used in case of emergency or the life jackets sailors wear. It can also be for fun, like an inflatable raft you use for floating around a pond. The Old English root of flotation is flotian, "to rest on the surface of water."

Example Sentences

Octopus founder and chief executive Greg Jackson told the BBC there was "every chance" Kraken would list its shares "in the medium term", with the location of the flotation "between London and the US".

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

In one case earlier this year, a surrogacy company owner pleaded guilty to wire fraud after prosecutors said she used client escrow money to fund a yoga and flotation chamber business and other personal expenses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 22, 2025

Another screen reminds us it is the 20th anniversary of the Nasdaq flotation of another tech company which went public here, now worth $3tn, Google.

From BBC • Oct. 19, 2025

While traditional crab gear uses vertical lines to connect the pots to buoys at the surface, pop-up gear keeps the rope and a flotation device on the ocean floor with the trap.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2025

When I first heard of this monastery I laughed out loud, but now the image of dot-com moguls scrubbing for the good of their souls presents itself as a psychic flotation device.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Related Words

• backing