In fluid mechanics, a splash is a sudden disturbance to the otherwise quiescent free surface of a liquid (usually water). The disturbance is typically caused by a solid object suddenly hitting the surface, although splashes can occur in which moving liquid supplies the energy. This use of the word is onomatopoeic.
Small scale splashes in which a droplet of liquid hits a free surface can produce symmetric forms that resemble a coronet; milk is often used as it is opaque.