residence time: Meaning and Definition of

res'idence time"

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. Also calledthe length of time a substance remains in the adsorbed, suspended, or dissolved state.
  2. the length of time radioactive material, as gas or particles, remains in the atmosphere after detonation of a nuclear device.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.