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Showing results for hygroscopic. Search instead for hydroscopic.

hygroscopic

American  
[hahy-gruh-skop-ik] / ˌhaɪ grəˈskɒp ɪk /

adjective

  1. absorbing or attracting moisture from the air.


hygroscopic British  
/ ˌhaɪɡrəskəʊˈpɪsɪtɪ, ˌhaɪɡrəˈskɒpɪk /

adjective

  1. (of a substance) tending to absorb water from the air

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

hygroscopic Scientific  
/ hī′grə-skŏpĭk /
  1. Relating to a compound that easily absorbs moisture from the atmosphere.


Other Word Forms

  • hygroscopically adverb
  • hygroscopicity noun
  • nonhygroscopic adjective
  • nonhygroscopically adverb

Etymology

Origin of hygroscopic

First recorded in 1765–75; hygroscope + -ic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The second is a desiccant-based system which uses hygroscopic materials to absorb moisture from the air, then release it through a heating process, he says.

From BBC • May 27, 2024

That may sound unusual, but prunes are high in hygroscopic sorbitol and fructose, which - along with salt and soy sauce - amplify the way the meat absorbs flavor.

From Washington Times • Dec. 21, 2023

The researchers found that as the salt solution undergoes evaporation, it transforms into a hygroscopic crystalline mixture composed of at least ten different minerals.

From Science Daily • Oct. 30, 2023

Because wood is hygroscopic and expands and contracts at a greater rate than paint, the paint eventually cracks and peels.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 9, 2022

The hygroscopic qualities of cord or the tendency of certain colors to change their tints when more moisture is present are used to indicate approaching changes in the weather.

From The Century of Columbus by Walsh, James J.