1
: a gelatinous or mucinous substance found normally in the thyroid and also in diseased tissue
2
a
: a substance that consists of particles dispersed throughout another substance which are too small for resolution (see resolution sense 6a) with an ordinary light microscope but are incapable of passing through a semipermeable membrane
b
: a mixture consisting of a colloid together with the medium in which it is dispersed
smoke is a colloid
colloidally
adverb
Examples of colloid in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Healthcare providers use colloid fluids for people with severe dehydration or fluid loss.
—
Rachael Zimlich, Bsn, Rn, Verywell Health, 23 Sep. 2024
Bluing is not a dye, but rather a colloid of blue iron salt suspended in water.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2024
Shining a laser light through a gold colloid mixture produces the Faraday-Tyndall Effect.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 Dec. 2023
Cheese starts as a colloid, or liquid medium with small particles equally dispersed within it.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 14 Oct. 2023
Samaras and her team use new technologies across colloid science, polymer chemistry, microbiome and sensory science for Unilever’s biggest brands.
—Jennifer Kite-Powell, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2023
Thyroid nodules might be solid with little fluid or colloid.
—Julia Naftulin, Health, 24 Apr. 2023
Cocoa powder mixed in with your milk is a colloid—a type of mixture in which solid particles are dispersed throughout a fluid.
—Mai Nguyen, Discover Magazine, 14 Dec. 2015
Ice cream is a colloid, or a solution that is comprised of two insoluble materials with one dispersed throughout the other.
—Ashton Yoon, Discover Magazine, 1 Aug. 2017
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Rachael Zimlich, Bsn, Rn, Verywell Health, 23 Sep. 2024
Bluing is not a dye, but rather a colloid of blue iron salt suspended in water.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2024
Shining a laser light through a gold colloid mixture produces the Faraday-Tyndall Effect.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 Dec. 2023
Cheese starts as a colloid, or liquid medium with small particles equally dispersed within it.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 14 Oct. 2023
Samaras and her team use new technologies across colloid science, polymer chemistry, microbiome and sensory science for Unilever’s biggest brands.
—Jennifer Kite-Powell, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2023
Thyroid nodules might be solid with little fluid or colloid.
—Julia Naftulin, Health, 24 Apr. 2023
Cocoa powder mixed in with your milk is a colloid—a type of mixture in which solid particles are dispersed throughout a fluid.
—Mai Nguyen, Discover Magazine, 14 Dec. 2015
Ice cream is a colloid, or a solution that is comprised of two insoluble materials with one dispersed throughout the other.
—Ashton Yoon, Discover Magazine, 1 Aug. 2017
Dictionary Entries Near colloid
Cite this Entry
“Colloid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colloid. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
colloid
noun
col·loid
ˈkäl-ˌȯid 
: a very finely divided substance which is scattered throughout another substance
also
: a mixture consisting of such a substance together with the substance in which it is scattered (as in smoke, gelatin, or marshmallow)
Medical Definition
colloid
noun
col·loid
ˈkäl-ˌȯid
1
: a gelatinous or mucinous substance found in tissues in disease or normally (as in the thyroid)
2
a
: a substance consisting of particles that are dispersed throughout another substance and are too small for resolution with an ordinary light microscope but are incapable of passing through a semipermeable membrane
b
: a mixture (as smoke) consisting of a colloid together with the medium in which it is dispersed
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share