Ductilities

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The property of a material to undergo significant deformation before rupture, often resulting in the ability to be drawn into wires
2. The capacity of a substance to be stretched thinly or molded into various shapes without breaking, essential in metallurgy
3. A measure of a material's flexibility and capability to withstand tensile stress, allowing it to be easily manipulated and formed

Etymology: "Ductilities" is simply the plural of "ductility," so it refers to several instances or degrees of the quality. The base word "ductility" is "ductile" plus the suffix "-ity," a combination of Latin-derived elements in which "-ity" comes through Old French "-ite" and Latin "-itas," a suffix that turns an adjective into a noun naming a quality. The root of "ductile" lies in the Latin verb "ducere," meaning "to lead" or "to draw out," and a ductile material is one that can be drawn out into a thread or wire without breaking. The same idea of leading or guiding runs through many English words, from "duke" to "conduct." Here the sense is physical: a metal that stretches into fine wire is, in a literal sense, being led out along a new length.

Synonyms: malleabilities, flexibilities, pliabilities, plasticities, tensilities

Antonyms: brittleness, rigidity, stiffness, inflexibility, hardness