sublimate

[ verb suhb-luh-meyt; noun, adjective suhb-luh-mit, -meyt ]
See synonyms for sublimate on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),sub·li·mat·ed, sub·li·mat·ing.
  1. Psychology. to divert the energy of (a sexual or other biological impulse) from its immediate goal to one of a more acceptable social, moral, or aesthetic nature or use.

  2. Chemistry.

    • to sublime (a solid substance); extract by this process.

    • to refine or purify (a substance).

  1. to make nobler or purer: To read about great men sublimates ambition.

verb (used without object),sub·li·mat·ed, sub·li·mat·ing.
  1. to become sublimated; undergo sublimation.

noun
  1. Chemistry. the crystals, deposit, or material obtained when a substance is sublimated.

adjective
  1. purified or exalted; sublimated.

Origin of sublimate

1
1425–75; late Middle English: exalted, sublimated <Latin sublīmātus (past participle of sublīmāre to elevate), equivalent to sublīm(is) sublime + -ātus-ate1

Other words from sublimate

  • sub·li·ma·ble [suhb-luh-muh-buhl], /ˈsʌb lə mə bəl/, adjective
  • sub·li·ma·ble·ness, noun
  • sub·li·ma·tion, noun
  • de·sub·li·mate, verb (used with object), de·sub·li·mat·ed, de·sub·li·mat·ing.
  • re·sub·li·mate, verb (used with object), re·sub·li·mat·ed, re·sub·li·mat·ing.
  • su·per·sub·li·mat·ed, adjective
  • un·sub·li·mat·ed, adjective

Words that may be confused with sublimate

Words Nearby sublimate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sublimate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sublimate

sublimate

/ (ˈsʌblɪˌmeɪt) /


verb
  1. psychol to direct the energy of (a primitive impulse, esp a sexual one) into activities that are considered to be socially more acceptable

  2. (tr) to make purer; refine

noun
  1. chem the material obtained when a substance is sublimed

adjective
  1. exalted or purified

Origin of sublimate

1
C16: from Latin sublīmāre to elevate, from sublīmis lofty; see sublime

Derived forms of sublimate

  • sublimable (ˈsʌbləməbəl), adjective

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