cavitation

noun

1. the rapid formation and collapse of vapor pockets in a flowing liquid in regions of very low pressure, a frequent cause of structural damage to propellers, pumps, etc.
2. such a pocket formed in a flowing liquid.

noun

1. the formation of vapour- or gas-filled cavities in a flowing liquid when tensile stress is superimposed on the ambient pressure
2. the formation of cavities in a structure

n.

“formation of bubbles in fluid,” 1895, from cavity + -ation. Earlier as a medical term (1868).

n.

1. The formation of cavities in a body tissue or an organ, especially those cavities that form in the lung as a result of tuberculosis.

1. The formation of bubblelike gaps in a liquid. Mechanical forces, such as the moving blades of a ship’s propeller or sudden negative changes in pressure, can cause cavitation.