Note: There is no well-defined distinction in meaning between viscous and viscid. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
viscous — (adj.) late 14c., from Anglo Fr. viscous, from L.L. viscosus sticky, from L. viscum anything sticky, birdlime made from mistletoe, mistletoe, probably from PIE root *weis to melt away, flow (used of foul or malodorous fluids); see VIRUS (Cf.… … Etymology dictionary
viscous — index coherent (joined) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
viscous — [adj] sticky, gummy adhesive, clammy, gelatinous, gluey*, glutinous, gooey*, mucilaginous, ropy, slimy, stiff, syrupy, tenacious, thick, tough, viscid; concept 606 Ant. unsticky, watery … New thesaurus
viscous — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid; having a high viscosity. ORIGIN Latin viscosus, from viscum birdlime … English terms dictionary
viscous — [vis′kəs] adj. [ME viscouse < LL viscosus < L viscum, birdlime made from mistletoe berries, mistletoe, prob. < IE base * weis : see VIRUS] 1. having a cohesive and sticky fluid consistency; viscid 2. Physics having viscosity viscously… … English World dictionary
viscous — adjective Etymology: Middle English viscouse, from Anglo French viscos, from Late Latin viscosus full of birdlime, viscous, from Latin viscum mistletoe, birdlime; akin to Old High German wīhsila cherry, Greek ixos mistletoe Date: 14th century 1.… … New Collegiate Dictionary
viscous — vis|cous [ˈvıskəs] adj [Date: 1300 1400; : Late Latin; Origin: viscosus, from Latin viscum mistletoe, sticky substance used for catching birds ] technical a viscous liquid is thick and sticky and does not flow easily ▪ As the liquid cools, it… … Dictionary of contemporary English
viscous — [[t]vɪ̱skəs[/t]] ADJ GRADED A viscous liquid is thick and sticky. ...dark, viscous blood … English dictionary
viscous — Sticky; marked by high viscosity. [see viscid, viscosity] * * * vis·cous vis kəs adj 1) having a glutinous consistency and the quality of sticking or adhering: VISCID 2) having or characterized by viscosity <a viscous flow> * * * vis·cous… … Medical dictionary
viscous — adj. Viscous is used with these nouns: ↑liquid, ↑substance … Collocations dictionary
