gaseous
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
being in the form of a gas, like air or steam, instead of being solid or liquid.
existing in or relating to the state of matter characterized by low density and high compressibility.
Simple“Jupiter is a giant planet made mostly of gaseous hydrogen and helium.”
In context“The experiment required the scientists to monitor the gaseous emissions from the chemical reaction to ensure no toxic fumes escaped the lab.”
UsageOften used in scientific contexts to describe the physical state of a substance.
- 02 C1 Advanced
describes an idea or a piece of writing that has no real meaning or strength.
lacking substance, solidity, or depth; tenuous or empty in nature.
Simple“The politician gave a gaseous speech that sounded good but said very little.”
In context“Critics dismissed the novel as a gaseous collection of metaphors that failed to ground its characters in any recognizable reality.”
Teacher's tipThis figurative sense is much less common than the scientific one and is usually found in formal or literary critiques.
Antonyms
From gas + -eous.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.