meniscus
n. countablen. a curved surface of a liquid in a container. It can be shaped like a U or a V, depending on how the liquid sticks to the glass.
n. the curved upper surface of a liquid in a container, formed by the liquid's surface tension and its adhesion to the container walls. Often used in scientific measurements to determine the volume of a liquid.
You should read the level of the liquid at the bottom of the meniscus.
When measuring the volume of water in a graduated cylinder, the technician looked at the bottom of the meniscus to ensure accuracy.
The technician noted that the meniscus of the mercury was convex, unlike the concave meniscus observed with water, due to the different cohesive and adhesive forces at play.
From Ancient Greek μηνίσκος (mēnískos, “crescent”), from μήνη (mḗnē, “moon”). Piecewise doublet of moonish.