buoyant

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Something that's buoyant floats easily in water or rises quickly when submerged. A piece of foam, for example, would be buoyant.

When we talk about something being buoyant, it usually means it has a light and airy quality to it. Imagine watching kids playing on the beach with inflatables - those things are definitely buoyant! They float effortlessly on top of the water, making it easy for the kids to run around and have fun. This word is often used in descriptions of materials or objects that are designed to be lightweight and able to move freely in a fluid medium, like air or water. If you're reading about a new type of foam insulation that's supposed to be super buoyant, you'll know it's designed to float up when needed, making installation easier.

How common is "buoyant"?

Word buoyant is considered rare in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
Definitions

adjective

  • Having buoyancy; able to float.

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