Gaseous

/ˈɡæʃəs/ adjective

Definition

In the form of a gas; describing something that is in the air-like state where molecules can move freely and spread out infinitely.

Etymology

From 'gas' (a 17th-century coinage by Flemish chemist Jan Baptist van Helmont) plus the suffix '-ous' meaning having the quality of. The word reflects the scientific revolution.

Kelly Says

Van Helmont invented the word 'gas' in 1662 by combining the Dutch word 'geest' (spirit/ghost) with the Greek letter 'chaos'—he literally named invisible substances after ghosts and chaos, which is poetically perfect for something you can't see.

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