viscous

First attested in 1605. Borrowed from Middle French visqueux and Late Latin viscōsus, from Latin viscum (“birdlime”).

• (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /ˈvɪs.kəs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Homophone: viscus
• Rhymes: -ɪskəs

viscous (comparative more viscous, superlative most viscous)

1. Having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid.
   • 2014 December 23, Olivia Judson, “The hemiparasite season [print version: Under the hemiparasite, International New York Times, 24–25 December 2014, page 7]”, in The New York Times‎, archived from the original on 23 December 2014:

     […] The flesh [of the mistletoe berry] is sticky, and forms strings and ribbons between my thumb and forefinger. For the mistletoe, this viscous goop – and by the way, viscous comes to English from viscum – is crucial. The stickiness means that, after eating the berries, birds often regurgitate the seeds and then wipe their bills on twigs – leading to the seeds' getting glued to the tree, where they can germinate and begin the cycle anew.

2. (physics) Of or pertaining to viscosity.

• (having a thick consistency): syrupy, viscid, viscose, thickflowing

• (physics): inviscid

Borrowed from Late Latin viscōsus, from Latin viscum.

viscous m (oblique and nominative feminine singular viscouse)

1. viscous (of a liquid, thick; tending to flow slowly)

• Middle French: visqueux
  • English: viscous (borrowed)
  • French: visqueux

• viscous on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub