cavitation: Meaning and Definition of

cav•i•ta•tion

Pronunciation: (kav"i-tā'shun), [key]
— n.
  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.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.