ETYM Old Eng. pois, peis, Old Fren. pois, peis, French poids, from Latin pensum a portion weighed out, pendere to weigh, weigh out. Related to Avoirdupois, Pendant, Poise.
1. A cgs unit of dynamic viscosity equal to one dyne-second per square centimeter; the viscosity of a fluid in which a force of one dyne per square centimeter maintains a velocity of 1 centimeter per second.
2. A state of being balanced in a stable equilibrium.
Unit of viscosity of liquids.
C.g.s. unit (symbol p) of dynamic viscosity (the property of liquids that determines how readily they flow). It is equal to one dyne-second per square centimeter. For most liquids the centipoise (one hundredth of a poise) is used. Water at 20şC/68şF has a viscosity of 1.002 centipoise.
Unité de viscosité.