sorb-, sorpt- +

1. To swallow up, to include, or to take a thing into the loss of its separate existence; to incorporate: In one gulp, the whale seemed to absorb all the krill.

The company absorbed the two smaller companies creating one large conglomerate.

2. To engross, or to completely engage the attention or faculties: The students were completely absorbed by the magic of the teacher's story telling.
3. To take up or to receive imponderable agents by chemical or molecular action: Not long after Howard swallows his vitamins, they will be absorbed into his blood stream.
4. To assume the burden of costs, expenses, etc.: The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, will personally absorb the small financial loss in order to continue to keep their company solvent.
5. To take in a shock, jolt, etc. with little or no recoil or reaction: The soft surface seemed to absorb the impact of the hammer.
6. To soak up and not to reflect: Carlos, the builder, told them that the light rays were absorbed by black surfaces and he also said that cork ceilings absorbed sound.
7. Etymology: from Latin absorbere, "to swallow up"; from ab-, "from" + sorbere, "to suck in".

1. The state or quality of being able to be wholly interested in something or able to give full attention to something or to someone: The absorbability of so much information made Doug very qualified to complete the project.
2. The full involvement in doing something that a person wants to achieve: Shirley's absorbabilities while studying at the university resulted in a doctor's degree that was attained in less time than was normally required.

A biologically absorbable powder prepared from cornstarch by introducing certain ether linkages, and also containing two percent magnesium oxide; used as a surgeon's glove lubricant.

A sterile, non-antigenic, water-insoluble gelatin film prepared from a gelatin-formaldehyde; used both as a protective and as a temporary supportive structure in surgical membrane repair.

A sterile, absorbable, water-insoluble gelatin base sponge, used to control capillary bleeding in surgical operations.

It is left in situ (situated naturally) and is absorbed by the patient in from four to six weeks.

A ligature composed of degradable material; such as, catgut, which can be absorbed by the tissues after enzymatic breakdown.

A ligature is a thread, wire, or cord used in surgery to close vessels or tie off ducts.

A surgical suture material prepared from a substance that can be absorbed by body tissues and is therefore not permanent: Absorbable surgical sutures are available in various diameters and tensile strengths, and can be treated to modify its resistance to integration into a person's physique.

Each absorbable surgical suture is assimilated into the skin and therefore it does not need to be removed.

1. The ability of a material or tissue to take in or to collect radiation which depends on temperature and wavelength, which is expressed as the negative common logarithm of the transmittance, or the ratio of transmitted energy to incident energy: The new equipment in the laboratory was able to effectively measure the absorbance of Grace's diseased tissue.
2. A measure of the extent to which a substance transmits light or other electromagnetic radiations: Absorbance varies with factors, such as wavelength, solution concentration, and path length.

Being very involved or so interested in something that a person isn't aware of anyone or anything else: Andre was so absorbed in working on his computer project that he didn't realize how late it was and so he didn't get much sleep before he had to get up early in the morning to go to work. © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. That which causes or takes something in by sucking it up and incorporating it into something: The new sponge is a great absorbefacient to use when cleaning the windows.
2. An agent that causes the soaking up or the taking in of liquids by solids: Adding the right kind of absorbefacient to the spill on the garage floor made it easier to clean up the mess.

A reference to something that induces, promotes, or causes the passage of substances across and into tissues: In the medical laboratory, Linda was studying the absorbefacient processes of digested food molecules into intestinal cells and the passage of liquids into kidney tubules.

1. That which is capable of attracting and taking substances into itself: Certain cloth materials have greater absorbency than others.
2. A substance or product that can soak up liquids or gases: Are there differences in the absorbencies of salt water versus unsalted water for gases?

1. That which is capable of attracting and including substances into itself: Randy bought a new sponge which is the best absorbent he has ever used.
2. A product or substance which can collect liquids or gases: The new powder-like substance is a great absorbent when cleaning up the oils and grease at the auto mechanic's work shop.
2. Any substance that takes in fluids through its sensible or insensible porosity; applied in a special sense in medicine to such substances as chalk or magnesia that take in the acidity of the stomach: Certain forms of magnesium can work as an absorbent when administered as a laxative.

Cloth material that comes from certain plants that is used in surgical dressings and for other medicinal or cosmetic purposes: The absorbent cotton is always sterilized before it arrives at the hospital and when used during surgery.

A sterile covering of a material that is applied to a wound or incision to remove secretions: Various kinds of absorbent dressings include teflon-coated gauze squares, fluffed gauze, and abdominal bandages.