buoyancy

Also buoy·ance

[boi-uhn-see, boo-yuhn-see]

noun

1. the power to float or rise in a fluid; relative lightness.

2. the power of supporting a body so that it floats; upward pressure exerted by the fluid in which a body is immersed.

3. lightness or resilience of spirit.

   Student well-being and buoyancy are especially important because of the relatively high incidence of depression and suicide.

buoyancy

/ ˈbɔɪənsɪ /

noun

1. the ability to float in a liquid or to rise in a fluid

2. the property of a fluid to exert an upward force (upthrust) on a body that is wholly or partly submerged in it

3. the ability to recover quickly after setbacks; resilience

4. cheerfulness

buoyancy

1. The upward force that a fluid exerts on an object that is less dense than itself. Buoyancy allows a boat to float on water and provides lift for balloons.

buoyancy

1. The force that causes objects to float. According to the principle of Archimedes, when a solid is placed in a fluid (a liquid or a gas), it is subject to an upward force equal in magnitude to the weight of the fluid it has displaced.

Other Word Forms

• nonbuoyancy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of buoyancy¹

First recorded in 1705–15; buoy(ant) + -ancy

Example Sentences

The brothers had several things in their favour, Geoff says, including being young and fit and, crucially, they were wearing wetsuits, which provided invaluable buoyancy aid.

From BBC

Back in the pool, divers are constantly adjusting Rosemary's buoyancy in the water to make the experience as close as possible to microgravity.

From BBC

Yet incredibly, sealing the ends watertight and fitting them with ballast tanks, gives enough buoyancy to tow them behind tugboats.

From BBC

In essence, it was a big raft, with tall, reinforced sides on 60 empty steel drums for buoyancy, towed by motorboat.

From Salon

So the team had to carefully account for its effects upon buoyancy and adjust by using weights and 3D-printed materials.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• elasticity 
• resilience