from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Adiabatic \Ad`i*a*bat"ic\, a. [Gr. 'adia`batos not passable; 'a
priv. + dia` through + bai`nein to go.] (Physics)
Not giving out or receiving heat. -- {Ad`i*a*bat`ic*al*ly},
adv.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Note: The adiabatic expansion of carbon dioxide from a
compressed container causes the temperature of the gas
to decrease rapidly below its freezing point, resulting
in the familiar carbon dioxide "snow" emitted by carbon
dioxide fire extinguishers.
[PJC.]
{Adiabatic line} or {curve}, a curve exhibiting the
variations of pressure and volume of a fluid when it
expands without either receiving or giving out heat.
--Rankine.
[1913 Webster]