/floh tay"sheuhn/ , n.
1. an act or state of floating.
2. the launching of a commercial venture, bond issue, loan, etc.
3. Metall. a process for separating the different minerals in a mass of powdered ore based on their tendency to sink in, or float on, a given liquid.
4. the science of floating bodies.
Also, floatation .
[ 1800-10; FLOAT + -ATION; cf. F flottaison (see FLOTSAM) ]