Fluids: meaning, definitions and examples

General term for any substance that can flow, including both liquids and gases. Often used in medical, scientific, and technical contexts.

• Doctors recommend drinking plenty of fluids when you have a fever.
• The engineer studied the behavior of different fluids under pressure.

Broad term used to describe any substance that flows freely but has a definite volume, which does not include gases. Suitable for everyday language and scientific discussions.

• Make sure to store cleaning liquids away from children.
• Water, milk, and oil are all common household liquids.

Refers specifically to the natural liquid that comes from fruits or vegetables, and less commonly can imply other liquids. Often used in culinary contexts.

• She started her day with a glass of fresh orange juice.
• The chef added lime juice to the salad for extra flavor.

Use 'fluids' when referring generally to any substance that can flow, including both liquids and gases. This is a broad term often used in scientific contexts.

• All fluids, including water and air, take the shape of their containers.
• Engineers study the dynamics of fluids to design efficient machines.

Use 'liquids' when specifically talking about substances that have a definite volume but no definite shape and are not gases. This term is often used in everyday contexts as well as specific scientific contexts.

• Pour the liquid into the container and measure it carefully.
• Water, oil, and alcohol are all examples of liquids.

Use 'gases' to talk about substances that not only flow but can expand to fill their containers, and that usually have very low density compared to liquids and solids. This term is commonly used in both everyday and scientific contexts.

• Oxygen and hydrogen are both gases at room temperature.
• The air we breathe is made up of several different gases.