What does venturi mean?
A venturi is a short, constricted section of tube or a device containing one, used to increase the speed of a flowing liquid or gas. By forcing the fluid through a narrow passage, it creates a measurable difference between the pressure of the faster-moving fluid and the slower-moving fluid upstream. This principle, known as the Venturi effect, can be used to regulate flow or to determine a fluid's rate of movement through a pipe. Venturis are therefore used in engineering, plumbing, ventilation, aerodynamics, and industrial measurement systems. The term may refer to the complete device, its narrow throat, or the measurement system built around it. It is not simply another word for any pipe: the defining feature is the deliberately narrowed passage and its effect on the fluid. Named for the Italian physicist Giovanni Battista Venturi, the word is best known today through its applications in fluid mechanics and engine design.
nounA short tube or nozzle with a narrowed section that increases the speed of a flowing liquid or gas. It may also be used as a flow meter by measuring changes in pressure and velocity.
- A short tube or nozzle with a narrowed section through which a liquid or gas flows, typically to increase the fluid's velocity.
- An instrument or system that uses such a constriction to measure the flow rate of a liquid or gas.
- The constricted opening or throat itself, especially when incorporated into a larger flow system.
"The venturi in the intake manifold accelerated the airflow before it reached the compressor."
"A venturi in the pipeline allowed the operator to calculate the water's flow rate."
"The physicist demonstrated the effect now called the Venturi effect using a tapered glass tube."
The regular plural is venturis.
"Several venturis were installed at different points along the pipeline."
The Venturi effect turns a narrow passage into a speed machine: as air or liquid accelerates through the constriction, its pressure falls.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of venturi
The word is a surname, borne by the Italian physicist Giovanni Battista Venturi, who investigated the movement of fluids through tapered tubes. His name belongs to a family of Italian personal names ultimately connected with Latin venturus, meaning “about to come” or “future,” and with venire, “to come.” Related English words include venture, adventure, adventurous, and eventual.
How venturi is actually used
This is primarily a technical and scientific term. It is normally lowercase when referring to a generic device, while the capitalized Venturi effect, Venturi scale, and Venturi meter retain the surname of the Italian physicist Giovanni Battista Venturi.
Easily confused with venturi
A venturi is a device or constriction used with flowing fluids, whereas a venture is an undertaking undertaken with risk or uncertainty.