Transudations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of fluids seeping or permeating through a membrane into a different space or area
2. The act of liquid gradually coming to the surface from within a substance, often due to pressure changes
3. A physiological mechanism in which bodily fluids ooze or leak through tissues, typically involving moisture transfer

Etymology: "Transudations" is simply the plural of "transudation," so the story belongs to its base noun. That noun is formed from "trans-," a Latin prefix meaning "across" or "through," joined to "sudation," the noun of action from the Latin verb "sudare," meaning "to sweat." Put together, the parts describe fluid sweating through a barrier, which is exactly what happens when liquid seeps across a membrane or porous wall rather than simply dripping over its surface. The image of sweat is the key to the word's physical sense. The fluid is pushed through tiny openings in a surface, much as moisture beads out through skin, and the prefix adds the idea of passage from one side to the other. The meaning is therefore literal and concrete, and the word stays close to that picture in both technical and everyday use.

Synonyms: exudations, oozings