ə̇ˈməlshən, ēˈ- noun
( -s )
Etymology: New Latin emulsion-, emulsio, from Latin emulsus (past participle of emulgēre to milk out) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at emulgent
1.
a. : a milky fluid made by rubbing almonds or other seeds with water and used as a demulcent
b. : any of various milky liquids
2.
a.
(1) : an intimate mixture of two incompletely miscible liquids (as oil and water) in which one of the liquids in the form of fine droplets is dispersed in the other usually with the aid of an emulsifier : a disperse system in which both phases are liquids
milk is an oil-in-water emulsion
(2) : an intimate mixture consisting of a semisolid or solid (as a resinous or bituminous material) dispersed in a liquid
an emulsion of asphalt in water
— compare foam 1, suspension 2b (3)
b. : an emulsion of a liquid or solid substance in an aqueous liquid with an emulsifier (as a gum or gelatin) used especially to improve the palatability of a medicine
emulsion of cod-liver oil
3. : a suspension of a finely divided sensitive silver salt (as silver bromide) or a mixture of silver halides in a viscous medium (as a gelatin solution) used for coating photographic plates, films, and paper ; also : the resultant coating when dried