submersion

[ suhb-mur-zhuhn, -shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of putting oneself or another person or thing under water or into some other enveloping medium:

   Swimmers in the class are taught submersion and breath holding, floating, and kicking.

   This durable tile is specially made to withstand submersion in swimming pools.

2. the act of subordinating or suppressing something:

   Critics talked about the film’s submersion of individual character within a vision of group solidarity.

Word History and Origins

Origin of submersion¹

First recorded in 1400–50; from Late Latin submersiōn-, stem of submersiō, also summersiō “a sinking,” from Latin submers(us) “sunk” (past participle of submergere “to dip under, immerse, sink”) + -iō -ion ( def )

Example Sentences

“I Saw the TV Glow” captures this obsessive, anticipatory submersion in a long-form weekly TV show, to the point where it ignites the same feeling.

From New York Times

"Drowning contributes due to the likelihood of submersion into the pool as he lapsed into unconsciousness; coronary artery disease contributes due to exacerbation of ketamine induced myocardial effects on the heart."

From BBC

Driver describes working with Mann as a submersion into technical mastery, though not without its moments of invention.

From Los Angeles Times

Both Zemmour’s party and Le Pen’s take aim at what the far right calls a migrant “submersion,” mainly Muslims, and voice fears that the French way of life is being upended.

From Seattle Times

Campbell‘s death was determined to be an accidental drowning following “submersion in a body of water,” Timothy McGuirk, a spokesperson for the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, said Wednesday.

From Washington Times

Related Words

• deluge
• flash flood
• overabundance
• torrent