ScienceAugust 21, 2026

hydrostatic

HY-druh-STAT-ik

Definition

Relating to the pressure exerted by a fluid at rest; in this context, it refers to the state where a celestial body has enough gravity to pull its mass into a near-spherical shape.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'hydor' meaning water and 'statikos' meaning causing to stand, reflecting the branch of science dealing with the equilibrium of liquids and the pressure exerted by them.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe the criteria for a planet, which must have sufficient mass to overcome rigid body forces and reach a state of hydrostatic equilibrium to become spherical.

20 Years Ago, Pluto Stopped Being A Planet. This Is Why Campaigns To Restore It Aren’t Working

Read the full article ↗

IFLScience

Related words

atomistic

Relating to or based on the study of matter at the level of individual atoms or molecules.

Science

avalanched

To have fallen, descended, or moved downward in a large, sudden, and destructive mass,…

Science

canid

A biological member of the family Canidae, which includes dogs, wolves, foxes, jackals,…

Science

concretize

To make something that is abstract, such as a plan, theory, or idea, real, tangible, or…

Science

cryptobiotic

Refers to a dormant state of an organism characterized by a total reduction or absence of…

Science

desynchronized

Having lost the state of operating or occurring at the same time or rate; lacking…

Science

Learn words like this every day

Meet new words every morning.

Newspoken pulls carefully chosen words from the day’s news — with clear definitions, context, and light review that makes them stick. Get it on your phone.