Collodions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of solution containing nitrocellulose dissolved in a solvent that forms a flexible film when dried
2. Often used in photography and medical applications as a dressing or adhesive
3. A historical binder in the creation of photographic plates and as a medium for artistic and scientific works

Etymology: "Collodions" is simply the plural of "collodion," a sticky liquid used in photography and medicine. The singular is the word that carries the history: it comes from Medieval Latin "collodium," which in turn was formed from Ancient Greek "kollōdēs," meaning "sticky" or "gluey." The Greek adjective is built from "kolla," glue, and that same root sits behind many words for adhesives and sticking. The sticky quality is the whole point of the name. Collodion is a solution of nitrocellulose dissolved in ether and alcohol, which dries into a clear, tough film, and that film is what made it useful as a dressing over cuts and as a support for photographic emulsions. The Greek adjective describing glue-like stickiness was thus carried over into Latin and then into modern chemistry and medicine without any change to its basic sense.

Synonyms: collodion solutions