different between vacuum vs vacua

English

Alternative forms

• vacuüm (rare)

Etymology

From Latin vacuum (“an empty space, void”), noun use of neuter of vacuus (“empty”), related to vacare (“be empty”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?væ.kju?m/, /?væ.kju?.?m/

Noun

vacuum (plural vacuums or (rare) vacua) (see usage notes)

1. A region of space that contains no matter.
2. (plural only "vacuums") A vacuum cleaner.
3. The condition of rarefaction, or reduction of pressure below that of the atmosphere, in a vessel, such as the condenser of a steam engine, which is nearly exhausted of air or steam, etc.

   a vacuum of 26 inches of mercury, or 13 pounds per square inch

4. (physics) A spacetime having tensors of zero magnitude

Usage notes

• The Latin in vacuo is sometimes used instead of in a vacuum (in free space).

Synonyms

• (a region of space that contains no matter): vacancy, void
• (vacuum cleaner): hoover (British)

Antonyms

• (region of space that contains no matter): plenum

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

vacuum (third-person singular simple present vacuums, present participle vacuuming, simple past and past participle vacuumed)

1. (transitive) To clean (something) with a vacuum cleaner.
2. (intransitive) To use a vacuum cleaner.
3. (transitive, databases) To optimise a database or database table by physically removing deleted tuples.

Synonyms

• (transitive sense): to hoover (British)
• (intransitive sense): to do the hoovering, to hoover (British)

Translations

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /va.k??m/

Noun

vacuum m (plural vacuums)

1. vacuum (space containing no matter)

Synonyms

• vide

Descendants

• Turkish: vakum

Further reading

• “vacuum” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Latin

Adjective

vacuum

1. accusative neuter singular of vacuus

Romanian

Etymology

From Latin vacuum

Noun

vacuum n (plural vacuumuri)

1. vacuum

Declension

Spanish

Alternative forms

• vácuum (recommended)

Noun

vacuum m (plural vacuums)

1. vacuum

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?væ.kju.?/

Noun

vacua

1. plural of vacuum

Italian

Adjective

vacua

1. feminine singular of vacuo

Latin

Adjective

vacua

1. nominative feminine singular of vacuus
2. nominative neuter plural of vacuus
3. accusative neuter plural of vacuus
4. vocative feminine singular of vacuus
5. nominative neuter plural of vacuus

Adjective

vacu?

1. ablative feminine singular of vacuus

Spanish

Adjective

vacua

1. feminine singular of vacuo