capillary action

noun

The drawing of a liquid (often against gravity) into or up narrow interstices due to surface tension

Meanings

nouncapillary action (uncountable)
  1. uncountablenatural sciencesThe drawing of a liquid (often against gravity) into or up narrow interstices due to surface tension

    Synonyms: capillarity

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe drawing of a liquid (often against gravity) into or up narrow interstices due to surface tension

More synonyms by meaning

nouna phenomenon associated with surface tension and resulting in the elevation or depression of liquids in capillaries

Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Danish hårrørsvirkning
  • hårrørsvirkningdrawing of a liquid up interstices
Finnish kapillaari-ilmiö, hiusputki-ilmiö
  • kapillaari-ilmiödrawing of a liquid up interstices
  • hiusputki-ilmiödrawing of a liquid up interstices
French capillarité
  • capillaritédrawing of a liquid up interstices
Icelandic hárpípuverkun, hárpípukraftur
  • hárpípuverkundrawing of a liquid up interstices
  • hárpípukrafturdrawing of a liquid up interstices
Italian capillarità
  • capillaritàdrawing of a liquid up interstices
Norwegian Bokmål kapillarkraft
  • kapillarkraftdrawing of a liquid up interstices
Spanish capilaridad
  • capilaridaddrawing of a liquid up interstices
Turkish kılcallık, kılcal etki
  • kılcallıkdrawing of a liquid up interstices
  • kılcal etkidrawing of a liquid up interstices
  • kılcal hareketdrawing of a liquid up interstices
Cite this entry
APA

capillary action. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/capillary%20action

MLA

“capillary action.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/capillary%20action. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “capillary action,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/capillary%20action.

Source: capillary action on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.