(1) The presence of slight to moderate amount of liquid, especially water
(2) The characteristic of being slightly wet or damp
(3) The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere or air
In biology, the term moisture is associated with the presence of liquid, particularly water. The presence of the liquid though is not very great in amount but only up to a certain degree that renders something wet or damp. For instance, the term moisture content (MC) pertains to the weight of the water contained in wood, usually expressed as a percentage of weight, either oven-dry or as received. In medicine, skin moisture may be determined as an assessment of the condition of the skin, i.e. if it is dry, moist, etc. Sweat is secreted from the sweat glands to the skin through skin pores and it makes the skin moist.
The term may also pertain to the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. Hygrometers are used to determine the moisture content of the atmosphere. Determining the moisture content in the air or atmosphere is e ssential in predicting rainfall and other weather conditions.
- moist (adjective)