immersion
ih-MUR-zhun
ɪˈmɜːrʒən
The action of dipping or submerging something completely in a liquid.
In cooking, it almost always refers to 'immersion blenders' or 'immersion circulators' (for sous-vide).
The story behind the word. From 'in-' (into) and 'mergere' (to dip). It's the same root that gives us 'submerge' and 'emergency' (something that 'emerges' or pops out of the water).
Word relationships
- submergence: A more technical term for being underwater.
- dipping: A more casual, temporary action.
- emersion: The act of coming out of a liquid.
Commonly confused with
- infusion: Infusion is soaking something to extract flavor; immersion is just the act of submerging.
Word family
- immerse (verb): To submerge in a liquid.
- immersive (adjective): Providing information or entertainment in a way that surrounds the user.
Collocations
- immersion blender
- immersion circulator
- total immersion
Example sentences
- "An immersion blender allows you to puree the soup directly in the pot without transferring it." Technique description
- "The immersion circulator kept the water bath at exactly 60 degrees Celsius for the steak." Scientific cooking
Memory hook
Think of an IMMERSION blender as an 'IN-merging' blender. Dipped into.
When not to use
Not used for simply pouring liquid over something; it must involve sinking into the liquid.
Fun facts
- The first immersion blenders were invented in Switzerland and were originally called 'bamix', a portmanteau of 'battre' (to beat) and 'mixer'.
Related words
Explore more words
immersive, absorption, submerge, absorb, comprehension, bilingual
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.