reflux
- The backward flow of liquid in a system, particularly the return of stomach contents into the esophagus, often causing discomfort known as acid reflux. nounAfter eating a large meal, she often experienced reflux, which caused a burning sensation in her chest.The doctor explained that his chronic cough might be due to reflux irritating his throat.
- In chemistry, the process of boiling a liquid so that any vapor is condensed and returned to the stock, often used in laboratory settings to heat reactions over a prolonged period without loss of solvent. nounThe chemist set up a reflux apparatus to ensure the reaction mixture was heated continuously without losing any of the solvent.Refluxing the solution allowed the reaction to proceed at a constant temperature for several hours.