vitreous
English
Etymology
From Middle French vitreux, from Latin vitreus (“glassy, transparent”), from vitrum (“glass”).
The terms vitreous (positive) and resinous (negative) electricity were coined in 1733 by Charles François de Cisternay du Fay, who studied the different behaviour of glass and resin when rubbed with silk and fur, respectively.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈvɪ.tɹi.əs/
Adjective
vitreous (comparative more vitreous, superlative most vitreous)
- Of or resembling glass; glassy.
- Of or relating to the vitreous humor of the eye.
- (of ceramics) Having a shiny nonporous surface.
- (chemistry) Of a semi-crystalline substance where the atoms exhibit short-range order, but without the long-range order of a crystal.
- (physics, dated) Positive (of electric charge).
Antonyms
- (electric charge): resinous
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.