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calorically

9.9

In a way that follows the old idea that heat moves like a fluid

adverb
/kəˈlɔrɪkli/

Archaic

: calóricamente

In early scientific literature, heat was often described as moving calorically from one object to another.

Examples

The experiment was explained calorically, following the now outdated theory of heat as a fluid.
Some nineteenth-century textbooks discuss energy transfer calorically rather than using modern thermodynamic concepts.
The concept was explained calorically in the lecture.
He approached the experiment calorically rather than thermodynamically.
In early scientific literature, heat was often described as moving calorically from one object to another.
Some nineteenth-century textbooks discuss energy transfer calorically rather than using modern thermodynamic concepts.
The experiment was explained calorically, following the now outdated theory of heat as a fluid.

Surface Forms

calorically positive

Morphology

calorically = caloric (opaque) = calor + ic + ally

Although formed from 'caloric' + '-ally', this sense invokes the obsolete 'caloric' theory (heat as a fluid), so learners knowing only a general sense of 'caloric' as 'relating to heat' are unlikely to derive the historical technical meaning.

Etymology

Calorically comes from the Latin root calor meaning 'heat' and from the old idea of a fluid called caloric. In the past some scientists thought heat was a substance that flowed, so to explain something calorically was to say heat moved like a fluid. That's why calorically can mean 'in the way of the old caloric theory'.