dehydration

n. lack of water in the body tissues. Dehydration may be absolute, as measured in terms of the difference from normal body water content, or relative, as considered in terms of fluid needed to maintain effective osmotic pressure. The delay before drinking sufficient liquids for complete hydration following water loss through sweating and urination is called voluntary dehydration. Compare hydration.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

September 8th 2024

drift

1. a reduction in variation in genetic traits that can occur when sampling from continually smaller groups, such that some traits ultimately become excluded from possibility.

2. a reduction in the reliability of technical instruments orin the accuracy of observers over time. See instrument drift; observer drift.