defluire

Defluire is a verb of Latin origin meaning to flow down or away. It derives from de- “away” + fluere “to flow,” and in Latin described liquids moving away from a source, or more broadly things that decline or drain away.

In modern Romance languages, cognate forms retain a similar sense of outflow or drainage. Italian uses defluire to describe fluids that move away from a site, for example Le acque defluiscono verso il mare. Portuguese, with defluir, covers comparable meanings, including the outflow of liquids or resources. In some contexts, Spanish may use defluir in technical or literary prose to denote outflow or rapid movement of fluids. In all cases, the sense centers on movement away from a point toward a lower level or boundary.

In English-language historical sources, the related noun defluxion (defluxio in Latin) referred to discharge of bodily fluids; this term is now rare, with discharge or drainage used instead.

See also: outflow, drainage, runoff, defluxion.