Colloids are described as exhibiting properties intermediate between those of:

1. Mixtures form a spectrum by particle size. 2. Another class of mixtures is called colloids, or colloidal dispersions. 3. Colloids exhibit properties intermediate between those of suspensions and solutions. 4. Their particles are larger than dissolved ions but small enough to stay dispersed. 5. That intermediate size is what gives colloids their distinctive behaviour. _Source: OpenStax Chemistry 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 11 'Solutions and Colloids', sections 11.1-11.5_