This week’s theme
Words from science

This week’s words
radioactive
broad-spectrum
high-octane
viral
critical mass


This week’s comments
AWADmail 1095

Next week’s theme
Toponyms

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(KRI-ti-kuhl MAHS)

MEANING:

noun: The minimum amount or number of something required to initiate or sustain a process or effect.

ETYMOLOGY:

From nuclear physics where critical mass is the smallest amount of nuclear material needed for a chain reaction. Earliest documented use: 1941.

NOTES:

Outside of physics, the critical mass of something can be seen as the tipping point, a stage of adoption where it begins to be useful or effective. For instance, critical mass can refer to the point at which a new word (like asporteist), technology (like fax machines), software (like WhatsApp), or social network (like Facebook) become widespread.

USAGE:

“But as a critical mass of mustache wearers has gathered, the style has slowly become free of the subculture associations it garnered in the 1980s.”
Shira Telushkin; The Mustache Is Back; The New York Times; Jun 1, 2023.

See more usage examples of critical mass in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: