Imbuements

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of saturating or infusing something with a particular quality or essence
2. The process of instilling attributes or characteristics within an object or substance
3. A method of deeply integrating or permeating an idea or feeling into a context or medium

Etymology: In Latin, "imbuere" meant to wet, moisten, or soak, and it was often used of dyeing cloth. English took the verb "imbue" with that sense of deep staining, so the idea of soaking something thoroughly came first and the figurative sense of infusing a quality came later. "Imbuement" is a plain English formation: the verb "imbue" plus the suffix "-ment," which turns an action into a noun for the act or its result. The suffix is the same one found in words like "judgement" and "treatment," so the noun carries the verb's soaking image with it, now applied to qualities, ideas, or feelings rather than cloth.

Synonyms: infusions, permeations, saturations