English Reference

Word

absorber

Phoneticsab·sorber

US/əbˈzɔɹbɝ/

UK/ɐbsˈɔːbɐ/

Definition

n. something that takes in or holds onto a liquid, gas, or energy. You might use this to describe a sponge or a special material that stops heat.

n. a substance or material that takes in or holds onto another substance, such as a liquid, gas, or radiation. Often used in technical contexts to describe the function of a specific component.

Examples

“The sponge is a good absorber of water.”

“The new material acts as an efficient absorber of solar energy, converting it directly into electricity.”

“In industrial cooling systems, a specialized chemical absorber is used to capture excess heat from the exhaust gases before they are released into the atmosphere.”

Examples

simple

“The sponge is a good absorber of water.”

contextual

“The new material acts as an efficient absorber of solar energy, converting it directly into electricity.”

complex

“In industrial cooling systems, a specialized chemical absorber is used to capture excess heat from the exhaust gases before they are released into the atmosphere.”

Real-World Examples

“Scientists have observed these patterns for about a century, yet the substance producing them, known as the "unknown absorber," has never been identified.”
ScienceDaily · 13 Sept 2026
“Meanwhile, muscles around your joints act as shock absorbers.”
ScienceDaily · 16 Aug 2026

Etymology

From absorb + -er.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/absorber

English Reference