Meanings
nounabsorptance (plural absorptances)
plural absorptances
- engineeringAbsorbed radiation and incident radiation in a ratio format; a measurement that shows how well a surface absorbs radiation.First known use First attested in the mid 20ᵗʰ century.
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna measure of the rate of decrease in the intensity of electromagnetic radiation (as light) as it passes through a given substance; the fraction of incident radiant energy absorbed per unit mass or thickness of an absorber
Similar
absorption coefficientcoefficient of absorption
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂ep
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂epó
- Proto-Italic*ap
- Latinab
- Latinab-
- Proto-Indo-European*srebʰ-
- Proto-Indo-European*srobʰéyeti
- Proto-Italic*sorβeō
- Latinsorbeō
- Latinabsorbeō
- Latinabsorptiō
- Englishabsorption
- Englishabsorptance
Circa 20th century, from absorption + -ance.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan absortància
- absortànciaabsorbed radiation
Dutch absorptiefactor, absorptieverhouding
- absorptiefactorabsorbed radiation
- absorptieverhoudingabsorbed radiation
Cite this entry
APA
absorptance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/absorptance
MLA
“absorptance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/absorptance. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “absorptance,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/absorptance.
Source: absorptance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.