Saturation

Saturation

Noun · /ˌsætʃəˈreɪʃən/ · the state of being completely soaked, filled, or at maximum capacity

Definition

Saturation describes the condition of being so thoroughly filled with something that no more can be absorbed or accommodated. In chemistry, a saturated solution holds the maximum possible amount of dissolved substance. In colour theory, saturation refers to the intensity or purity of a hue — a highly saturated red is vivid and pure, while a desaturated red appears washed out or grey. In business and marketing, market saturation occurs when a product or service has reached its maximum potential in a given market — there is simply no more room for growth.

Origin

From Latin saturatio, from saturare, to fill to fullness, related to satur, meaning full or sated. The same Latin root gives English saturate, satiated, and satiate. The word entered English in the sixteenth century in the sense of thorough soaking, and its range of technical meanings — in chemistry, physics, colour theory, and commerce — expanded through the seventeenth to twentieth centuries.