An empty space; a gap or opening; emptiness.
→ vacuum.
A large region of cosmic space without galaxies. The first of these voids
to be discovered lies in the direction of → Bootes
and is some 300 million → light-years across.
It is estimated that voids take up about 98% of the volume of the Universe,
with clusters of galaxies concentrated in the thin walls that surround them.
Etymology (EN): M.E. voide, from O.Fr. voide “empty, vast, wide, hollow,” from
L. vocivus “unoccupied, vacant,” related to vacuus “empty,”
→ vacuum.
Etymology (PE): Tohi “empty” (variants in dialects Tabari tisâ,
Saraxsi, Lâsgardi, Sangesari tusâ,
Aftari tussâ); Mid.Pers. tuhig; Av. taoš-
“to become empty,” pres. tusa-, caus. taošaya-,
tusən “they lose their posture;” cf. Skt. tuccha-, tucchya-
“empty;” L. tesqua, tesca “deserted place;”
Rus. tošcij “hollow;” PIE base *teus- “to empty.”
