hydrodynamic
adjective
Did you know?
Bernoulli's principle, which is basic to the science of hydrodynamics, says that the faster a fluid substance flows, the less outward pressure it exerts. It shows the close relationship between hydrodynamics and aerodynamics (which deals with the movement of air and other gases), since it can partly explain how air will "lift" an airplane by the way it flows over the wings, and how a spoiler helps keep a race car's wheels pressed to the ground as it accelerates. Hydrodynamics is sometimes applied today in studying the surface of the planets and even the stars. As used informally by boaters, hydrodynamic often means "hydrodynamically efficient".
Cite this Entry
“Hydrodynamic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydrodynamic. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.
Copy Citation
