mixtures

IPA/ˈmɪks.tʃər/
KK[mˈɪkstʃɚz]IPA/ˈmɪks.tʃɚ/

mixtures — noun

  • mixturessingular
  • mixturesesplural

1. A substance created by putting together two or more different things, where each

1.nounB1
Definition

A substance created by putting together two or more different things, where each ingredient keeps its own qualities — like flour and eggs to make cake batter, or sand and cement to create concrete.

Example

Tara poured the cake mixture into two greased tins and baked them for thirty minutes.

collocation: cake mixture / pour mixture into tin

The trail mix that Diego brought to school was a mixture of peanuts, raisins, and dark chocolate chips.

collocation: trail mix / a mixture of [ingredients]

Common collocations
  • a mixture of
  • cake mixture
  • trail mix mixture
  • smooth mixture
  • thick mixture
  • strange mixture
  • curious mixture
  • rich mixture
Synonyms
  • blend

    suggests a smoother, more uniform combination, often used for food or drinks

  • combination

    more general term; does not imply physical mixing, just things put together

  • compound

    implies chemical bonding rather than loose mixing — not interchangeable with 'mixture' in science contexts

  • fusion

    suggests a seamless merging of styles, cultures, or musical genres

Antonyms
  • separate

    things kept apart rather than combined

  • pure substance

    a material made of only one kind of particle, not a mixture

Usage Note

Frequently used in cooking, chemistry, and descriptions of places or populations. The preposition 'of' introduces the elements being combined.

Common Mistakes

The mixture of cement and water become hard.
The mixture of cement and water becomes hard.
'mixture' is singular, so the verb must be 'becomes'.
Salt water is a compound.
Salt water is a mixture.
In a compound the ingredients bond chemically; in a mixture they stay separate.

2. The action or process of combining different substances or elements together, ra

2.nounB2
Definition

The action or process of combining different substances or elements together, rather than the resulting substance itself.

Example

The slow mixture of oil and vinegar in the dressing requires steady whisking for at least a minute.

grammar pattern: the [adj] mixture of [A] and [B] for process reading

Abigail achieved the perfect colour through a careful mixture of blue and yellow paint.

Common collocations
  • careful mixture
  • gradual mixture
  • slow mixture
  • proper mixture
  • mixture of [A] and [B]
Synonyms
  • mixing

    more direct and transparent for the process meaning

  • stirring

    refers specifically to moving a spoon or tool through a substance

  • blending

    implies creating a uniform combination through gentle mixing

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (COMBINATION OF SUBSTANCES): this sense describes the act of mixing, not the resulting substance. A test is whether you can replace 'mixture' with 'mixing' — if the sentence works, the process sense is intended.

Common Mistakes

The mixture of flour and eggs took ten minutes of stirring.' (ambiguous with sense 1)
The mixing of flour and eggs took ten minutes of stirring.
use 'mixing' instead of 'mixture' to clarify you mean the process, not the resulting substance.

3. A liquid medicine that contains solid particles which can settle at the bottom,

3.nounB1
Definition

A liquid medicine that contains solid particles which can settle at the bottom, so you must shake the bottle before you take a dose.

Example

Mayumi shook the brown bottle of cough mixture before pouring a spoonful for her son.

collocation: cough mixture / shake bottle before use

The doctor prescribed a pink mixture for Daniel's stomach infection and told him to take it after meals.

Common collocations
  • cough mixture
  • shake the mixture
  • bottle of mixture
  • prescribe a mixture
  • take the mixture
Synonyms
  • cough syrup

    more common in American English; 'cough mixture' is more common in British English

  • medicine

    a broader term; not all medicines are mixtures

  • suspension

    the technical pharmaceutical term for a liquid with undissolved particles

Usage Note

This sense is specific to liquid pharmaceuticals sold in bottles that require shaking before each use. Common in the phrase 'cough mixture'. Not used for tablets, capsules, or creams.

Common Mistakes

I bought some mixture for my headache at the pharmacy.
I bought some cough mixture for my cough at the pharmacy.
'mixture' in this sense refers specifically to a type of liquid medicine, not any medicine in general. Specify the type.
Idioms

mixture stop

idiom

A device on a pipe organ that uses several pipes for each key to produce a sound combining multiple pitches, adding brightness and fullness to the music.

The mixture stop on a pipe organ plays several pipes for each key, making the tone brighter.

Camila added the mixture stop while playing the organ at the school concert.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all four words describe things put together, 'mixture' emphasises that the original parts remain distinct and identifiable. 'Blend' suggests a smoother, more uniform result where individual ingredients are harder to distinguish — you blend fruits into a smoothie, but you mix nuts and raisins into a trail mix. 'Combination' is the broadest term and works for both physical and abstract contexts ('a combination of talent and hard work') without implying physical mixing. 'Compound' carries scientific weight: in chemistry a compound involves chemical bonding between elements (water, salt), whereas a mixture does not. 'Fusion' is the most emotive and abstract, implying a seamless merging into something new — commonly used for music ('jazz fusion'), cuisine ('fusion food'), or culture. Choose 'mixture' when the parts stay recognisable, 'blend' when they merge smoothly, and 'compound' only when you mean a bonded chemical substance.

blend ↗combination ↗compound ↗fusion ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • mixture consistency
  • mixture proportions
  • mixture ratio

Adverbs

  • thoroughly mixed
  • evenly mixed
  • well mixed

Phrases

  • a mixture of
  • in a mixture
  • into a mixture

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'mixture' comes from Latin 'mixtūra', meaning 'a mixing', derived from the verb 'miscēre' (to mix). It entered English in the 1500s through Old French 'mixture'. The verb 'mix' comes from the same Latin root but reached English through a different pathway, influenced by Middle English 'mixen' from Old English 'miscian'.

First known use

15th century

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2