Word Study
rarefaction
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun rarefaction has 1 sense
- rarefaction(n = noun.event) Array - a decrease in the density of something; "a sound wave causes periodic rarefactions in its medium" is a kind of concentration
Derived forms verb rarefy3, verb rarefy1
CIDE DICTIONARY
rarefaction, n. [Cf. F. raréfaction. See Rarefy.].
The act or process of rarefying; the state of being rarefied; -- opposed to condensation; as, the rarefaction of air. [1913 Webster]
ROGET THESAURUS
rarefaction
Expansion
N expansion, increase of size, enlargement, extension, augmentation, amplification, ampliation, aggrandizement, spread, increment, growth, development, pullulation, swell, dilation, rarefaction, turgescence, turgidness, turgidity, dispansion, obesity, hydrocephalus, hydrophthalmus, dropsy, tumefaction, intumescence, swelling, tumor, diastole, distension, puffing, puffiness, inflation, pandiculation, dilatability, expansibility, germination, growth, upgrowth, accretion, budding, gemmation, overgrowth, overdistension, hypertrophy, tympany, bulb, plumper, superiority of size, big bang, Hubble constant, expanded larger, &c (large), swollen, expansive, wide open, wide spread, flabelliform, overgrown, exaggerated, bloated, fat, turgid, tumid, hypertrophied, dropsical, pot bellied, swag bellied, edematous, oedematous, obese, puffy, pursy, blowzy, bigswoln, distended, patulous, bulbous, full blown, full grown, full formed, big, abdominous, enchymatous, rhipidate, tumefacient, tumefying.Rarity
N rarity, tenuity, absence of solidity, subtility, subtilty, subtlety, sponginess, compressibility, rarefaction, expansion, dilatation, inflation, subtilization, vaporization, evaporation, diffusion, gassification, ether, rare, subtile, thin, fine, tenuous, compressible, flimsy, slight, light, cavernous, spongy, rarefied, unsubstantial, uncompact, incompressed, rarefiable.
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