流变学研究的是在外力作用下，物体的变形和流动的学科，研究对象主要是流体，还有软固体或者在某些条件下固体可以流动而不是弹性形变。它适用于具有复杂结构的物质，包括泥浆、污泥、悬浮液、聚合物、食品、体液和其他生物材料。这些物质的流动在固定温度下不能用单一粘度值来表征——存在其他一些因素影响粘度的改变。例如，摇动番茄酱可以减小它的粘度，但是水却不行。自从艾萨克·牛顿提出粘度的概念，粘度可变的液体研究也被称作非牛顿流体力学。“流变学”一词由拉法耶特学院的尤金·库克·宾汉教授根据他的同事马尔克斯·雷纳建议于1920年首创。这个词从误传为赫拉克利特的名言"Panta Rei"，即“一切可流”（实际上来自辛普里丘著作）。

Rheology (/riːˈɒlədʒi/; from Greek ῥέω rhéō, "flow" and -λoγία, -logia, "study of") is the study of the flow of matter, primarily in a liquid state, but also as 'soft solids' or solids under conditions in which they respond with plastic flow rather than deforming elastically in response to an applied force. It applies to substances which have a complex microstructure, such as muds, sludges, suspensions, polymers and other glass formers (e.g., silicates), as well as many foods and additives, bodily fluids (e.g., blood) and other biological materials or other materials which belong to the class of soft matter.