Emulsoid

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. A colloidal system in which large molecules like gelatin or starch are dispersed through a liquid and form a stable, gel-like mixture
2. A type of colloid made of macromolecules spread evenly in a solvent, which holds together with a stable, jelly-like consistency
3. Any colloid in which the dispersed particles are long polymer molecules that bind water and remain stable without separating

Etymology: "Emulsoid" is a blend of two scientific terms, "emulsion" and "colloid." An emulsion is a mixture in which one liquid is dispersed as tiny droplets throughout another liquid that it will not normally mix with, as in milk or mayonnaise. A colloid is a substance whose particles are spread through another medium in pieces too small to settle out, though too large to dissolve. The coinage joins the two ideas into one term for a colloidal system that behaves like an emulsion, a sort of hybrid category in chemistry. The word was built from existing scientific vocabulary, so it reflects the classification work of colloid chemistry rather than any older tradition. Its meaning is confined to that technical field.

Synonyms: colloid