• dirtycrow
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    2 days ago

    If I put a tungsten cube under water I wouldn’t really call it wet. But if I sprayed it with water I would. But that changes when it’s a person, no? The type of surface it is depends as well, not all surfaces are equal - like something that is water phobic (aerogel) can make something not wet even though it (person + aerogel) is in contact with water. I’m not arguing water isn’t wet. I absolutely think it is by our language. But I am saying there isn’t a good way of arriving at that conclusion by going full Webster Dictionary.

    • verdigris@lemmy.ml
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      2 days ago

      I would call anything under water wet with the specific exception of stuff like aerogel that is hydrophobic, because it’s insulated by a layer of air. I think at enough pressure that would be overcome and the material would become wet.