Definition

Noun: * The process by which a liquid, especially blood, changes into a thickened, semi-solid, or solid state. This is the primary and most common meaning. It describes the natural or induced process where particles in a liquid clump together to form a mass or clot.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Blood coagulation is a vital process that stops bleeding after an injury.
  • The addition of rennet causes the coagulation of milk, which is the first step in making cheese.
  • The scientist studied the factors that influence the coagulation of proteins in solution.

Advanced Usage

• Technical/Scientific Context: The term is used precisely in medicine, biology, and chemistry to describe the clotting of blood or the curdling of liquids like milk or egg whites.
  • The patient has a disorder that impairs normal coagulation.
• Figurative Use: While less common, it can be used metaphorically to describe things coming together or thickening in a non-liquid context.
  • The long, heated debate led to a coagulation of opposing opinions into two clear factions.

Variants and Related Words

• Coagulate (verb): To change from a fluid into a thickened mass; to clot.
  • The blood began to coagulate around the wound.
• Coagulant (noun): A substance that causes coagulation.
  • Calcium chloride is used as a coagulant in tofu production.
• Coagulable (adjective): Capable of being coagulated.
• Anticoagulant (noun): A substance that prevents coagulation.

Synonyms

• Clotting
• Curdling
• Congealing
• Gelling
• Thickening
• Solidification (in a general sense)

Antonyms

• Liquefaction
• Dissolution
• Melting

Noun

1. the process of forming semisolid lumps in a liquid