Flux Definition & Meaning

American

British

Scientific

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Synonyms flux American [fluhks] / flʌks /

noun

1. a flowing or flow.

   Synonyms: livestream, flood, current, course

2. the flowing in of the tide.

3. continuous change, passage, or movement.

   His political views are in a state of flux.

4. Physics.

   1. the rate of flow of fluid, particles, or energy.

   2. a quantity expressing the strength of a field of force in a given area.

5. Chemistry, Metallurgy.

   1. a substance used to refine metals by combining with impurities to form a molten mixture that can be readily removed.

   2. a substance used to remove oxides from and prevent further oxidation of fused metal, as in soldering or hot-dip coating.

   3. (in the refining of scrap or other metal) a salt or mixture of salts that combines with nonmetallic impurities, causing them to float or coagulate.

6. fusion.

verb (used with object)

1. to melt; make fluid.

2. to fuse by the use of flux.

3. Obsolete. to purge.

verb (used without object)

1. to flow.

flux British / flʌks /

noun

1. a flow or discharge

2. continuous change; instability

3. a substance, such as borax or salt, that gives a low melting-point mixture with a metal oxide. It is used for cleaning metal surfaces during soldering, etc, and for protecting the surfaces of liquid metals

4. metallurgy a chemical used to increase the fluidity of refining slags in order to promote the rate of chemical reaction

5. a similar substance used in the making of glass

6. physics

   1. the rate of flow of particles, energy, or a fluid, through a specified area, such as that of neutrons ( neutron flux ) or of light energy ( luminous flux )

   2. the strength of a field in a given area expressed as the product of the area and the component of the field strength at right angles to the area

      magnetic flux

      electric flux

7. pathol an excessive discharge of fluid from the body, such as watery faeces in diarrhoea

8. the act or process of melting; fusion

9. (in the philosophy of Heraclitus) the state of constant change in which all things exist

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

1. to make or become fluid

2. (tr) to apply flux to (a metal, soldered joint, etc)

3. (tr) an obsolete word for purge

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 flux Scientific / flŭks /

1. The rate of flow of fluids, particles, or energy across a given surface or area.

2. The presence of a field of force in a region of space, represented as a set of lines indicating the direction of the force. The density of the lines indicates the strength of the force. Lines used to represent magnetic fields in depictions of magnets, for example, follow the lines of flux of the field.

3. See also field magnetic flux

4. A measure of the strength of such a field.

5. A readily fusible glass or enamel used as a base in ceramic work.

6. An additive that improves the flow of plastics during fabrication.

7. A substance applied to a surface to be joined by welding, soldering, or brazing to facilitate the flowing of solder and prevent formation of oxides.

8. A substance used in a smelting furnace to make metals melt more easily.

Other Word Forms

• nonflux noun
• superflux noun
• transflux noun

Etymology

Origin of flux

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin fluxus “a flowing,” equivalent to fluc-, variant stem of fluere “to flow” + -tus, noun and participle suffix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Mid-Atlantic housing market, as big as that is, is still in a state of uncertainty and flux.

From MarketWatch

It was suggested that the height of the accretion column was changed with the 10-year flux modulation.

From Science Daily

That upcoming mission was due to fly from Antarctica in December but "all the dates are in flux", says Prof Krawczynski, because of the US government shutdown.

From BBC

With the movie industry in flux, stars continue to cluster around the limited high-profile projects that remain, which can mean star vs. star showdowns.

From The Wall Street Journal

In turn, this coupling allows the PQ superfluid vortex to pump electric charge into the B-L flux tube and oppose the tension that would normally cause the loop to shrink and snap.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.