Kuivus

Kuivus is an Estonian noun that denotes the state or condition of being dry. It encompasses dryness in air or surroundings as well as desiccation of substances or tissues. In everyday language, it can refer to a lack of moisture in the environment, materials, or biological matter.

Etymologically, kuivus comes from the Estonian root kuiv- meaning dry, with the suffix -us forming a noun that names the condition or quality of dryness. The term is used across scientific, technical, and literary contexts to discuss moisture levels and their effects.

In meteorology and climatology, kuivus describes low moisture in the air, often expressed as low relative humidity and higher dew point. Such conditions influence comfort, weather patterns, and the preservation of materials. In food science and materials engineering, kuivus refers to desiccation—the deliberate removal of moisture through methods such as air drying, oven drying, sun drying, or freeze-drying. Controlling moisture content is important for preservation, texture, stability, and storage.

In biology and medicine, desiccation is studied as a physiological process and as a method for preservation (for example, in seeds and spores) or as a condition affecting tissues. Some organisms exhibit desiccation tolerance, while excessive kuivus can cause damage in living tissues.

Kuivus thus covers both the abstract state of dryness and the practical processes used to achieve and measure dryness in various fields.