Liquid vs. Fluid — What's the Difference?

A state of matter with definite volume but no fixed shape.

A substance that has no fixed shape and yields easily to external pressure.

Can form a free surface in a gravitational field.

Can flow under an applied force.

Substance that flows freely but is of constant volume.

Encompasses both liquids and gases.

Exhibits surface tension and capillary action.

Lacks surface tension in gaseous state.

Characterized by nearly incompressible fluidity.

Not necessarily of constant volume, especially gases.

A liquid is a nearly incompressible fluid that conforms to the shape of its container but retains a (nearly) constant volume independent of pressure. As such, it is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, gas, and plasma), and is the only state with a definite volume but no fixed shape.

In physics, a fluid is a liquid, gas, or other material that continually deforms (flows) under an applied shear stress, or external force. They have zero shear modulus, or, in simpler terms, are substances which cannot resist any shear force applied to them.

The state of matter in which a substance exhibits a characteristic readiness to flow and little or no tendency to disperse, and is amorphous but has a fixed volume and is difficult to compress.

A substance that has no fixed shape and yields easily to external pressure; a gas or (especially) a liquid

Matter or a specific body of matter in this state.

(of a substance) able to flow easily

(Linguistics) A consonant articulated without friction and capable of being prolonged like a vowel, such as English l and r.

(of a clutch or coupling) using a liquid to transmit power.

Of or being a liquid.

A continuous, amorphous substance whose molecules move freely past one another and that has the tendency to assume the shape of its container; a liquid or gas.

Melted by heating

Of, relating to, or characteristic of a fluid.

Condensed by cooling

Readily reshaped; pliable.

Flowing readily; fluid

Smooth and flowing; graceful

Having a flowing quality without harshness or abrupt breaks

Changing or tending to change; variable

(Linguistics) Articulated without friction and capable of being prolonged like a vowel.

Characterized by or allowing social mobility

Clear and shining

Convertible into cash

Existing as or readily convertible into cash

Any substance which can flow with relative ease, tends to assume the shape of its container, and obeys Bernoulli's principle; a liquid, gas or plasma.

A substance that is flowing, and keeping no shape, such as water; a substance of which the molecules, while not tending to separate from one another like those of a gas, readily change their relative position, and which therefore retains no definite shape, except that determined by the containing receptacle; an inelastic fluid.

A liquid as opposed to a solid or gas.

(phonetics) Any of a class of consonant sounds that includes l and r.

Intravenous fluids.

Flowing freely like water; fluid; not solid and not gaseous; composed of particles that move freely among each other on the slightest pressure.

(not comparable) Of or relating to fluid.

Easily sold or disposed of without losing value.

In a state of flux; subject to change.

Having sufficient trading activity to make buying or selling easy.

Moving smoothly, or giving the impression of a liquid in motion.

Flowing or sounding smoothly or without abrupt transitions or harsh tones.

(of an asset) Convertible into cash.

(phonology) Belonging to a class of consonants comprised of the laterals and the rhotics, which in many languages behave similarly.

(rare) Genderfluid.

Fluid and transparent.

Having particles which easily move and change their relative position without a separation of the mass, and which easily yield to pressure; capable of flowing; liquid or gaseous.

Flowing freely like water; fluid; not solid.

A fluid substance; a body whose particles move easily among themselves.

Being in such a state that the component molecules move freely among themselves, but have a definite volume changing only slightly with changes of pressure, and do not tend to separate from each other as the particles of gases and vapors do when the volume of the container is increased; neither solid nor gaseous; as, liquid mercury, in distinction from mercury solidified or in a state of vapor.

A substance that is fluid at room temperature and pressure

Flowing or sounding smoothly or without abrupt transitions or harsh tones.

A continuous amorphous substance that tends to flow and to conform to the outline of its container: a liquid or a gas

Pronounced without any jar or harshness; smooth; as, l and r are liquid letters.

Subject to change; variable;

Fluid and transparent; as, the liquid air.

Characteristic of a fluid; capable of flowing and easily changing shape

Clear; definite in terms or amount.

Smooth and unconstrained in movement;

In cash or readily convertible into cash without loss of principle; - said of assets, such as bank accounts, or short-term bonds tradable on a major stock exchange.

In cash or easily convertible to cash;

A substance whose parts change their relative position on the slightest pressure, and therefore retain no definite form; any substance in the state of liquidity; a fluid that is not gaseous and has a definite volume independent, of the container in which it is held. Liquids have a fixed volume at any given pressure, but their shape is determined by the container in which it is contained. Liquids, in contrast to gases, cannot expand indefinitely to fill an expanding container, and are only slightly compressible by application of pressure.

Affording change (especially in social status);

A letter which has a smooth, flowing sound, or which flows smoothly after a mute; as, l and r, in bla, bra. M and n also are called liquids.

A substance that is liquid at room temperature and pressure

The state in which a substance exhibits a characteristic readiness to flow with little or no tendency to disperse and relatively high incompressibility

A substance in the fluid state of matter having no fixed shape but a fixed volume

A frictionless non-nasal continuant (especially `l' and `r')

Filled or brimming with tears;

Clear and bright;

Changed from a solid to a liquid state;

Smooth and flowing in quality; entirely free of harshness;

Yielding; lacking any hint of hardness;

Smooth and unconstrained in movement;

In cash or easily convertible to cash;

A liquid is a state of matter with a definite volume but no fixed shape, capable of flowing and conforming to the shape of its container.

Liquids flow due to the movement of their closely packed but mobile particles, which slide past one another.

Surface tension is a characteristic of liquids due to cohesive forces among molecules, but it is not applicable to gases.

A fluid is a substance that can flow and has no fixed shape, encompassing both liquids and gases.

Not all fluids can be compressed; liquids are generally incompressible, while gases, another type of fluid, are compressible.

Both liquids and fluids can flow and take the shape of their containers due to their lack of a fixed shape.

The volume of a liquid can change slightly with temperature and pressure but remains relatively constant compared to gases.

Temperature and pressure can significantly affect the volume and behavior of fluids, especially gases, due to their compressibility.

Liquids are a specific type of fluid with a fixed volume, while fluids can include both liquids and gases, some of which may be compressible.

Fluids are found both in nature (like water and air) and in manufactured systems (like hydraulic fluids and refrigerants).

Gases do not have a fixed volume; they expand or compress to fill the volume of their container.

Surface tension in liquids results from cohesive forces, leading to phenomena like droplet formation and capillary action.

Yes, plasma is considered a fluid, but it is a distinct state of matter separate from liquids and gases.

Newtonian fluids have a constant viscosity regardless of the applied stress, unlike non-Newtonian fluids, whose viscosity can change.

Gases can expand indefinitely in a vacuum, but liquids will tend to evaporate in the absence of pressure.