noun
water retention capacity; water-holding ability
Technical term used in agriculture, soil science, cosmetics, and food science to describe how well a material retains moisture.
この土壌は保水力が高いので、乾燥に強い。
This soil has high water retention capacity, so it is resistant to drought.
化粧品の保水力を調べる実験を行った。
We conducted an experiment to examine the water-holding capacity of the cosmetic product.
Compound of 保水 (water retention) + 力 (power, ability). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is a straightforward modern technical term.