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vacuum

Pronunciation: /ˈvakjʊəm/

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Definition of vacuum

noun (plural vacuums or vacua /-jʊə/)

  • 1a space entirely devoid of matter.
  • a space or container from which the air has been completely or partly removed.
  • [usually in singular] a gap left by the loss, death, or departure of someone or something significant:the political vacuum left by the death of the Emperor
  • 2 (plural vacuums) a vacuum cleaner.

verb

[with object]
  • clean with a vacuum cleaner:the room needs to be vacuumed

Phrases

in a vacuum

(of an activity or a problem to be considered) isolated from the normal context in which it can best be understood or assessed: professional training cannot take place in a vacuum

Origin:

mid 16th century: modern Latin, neuter of Latin vacuus 'empty'

Spelling help

Remember that vacuum is spelled with a double u. The plural can be spelled either vacuums or vacua (as in the original Latin).

vacuum in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of vacuum in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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