decrepitate

[dih-krep-i-teyt]

verb (used with object)

decrepitated, decrepitating 

1. to roast or calcine (salt, minerals, etc.) so as to cause crackling or until crackling ceases.

verb (used without object)

decrepitated, decrepitating 

1. to break up when exposed to heat.

decrepitate

/ dɪˈkrɛpɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to heat (a substance, such as a salt) until it emits a crackling sound or until this sound stops

2. (intr) (esp of a salt) to crackle, as while being heated

Other Word Forms

• decrepitation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of decrepitate¹

1640–50; < New Latin dēcrepitātus crackled, past participle of dēcrepitāre, equivalent to Latin dē- de- + crepitāre to crackle (frequentative of crepāre to crack); -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of decrepitate¹

C17: from New Latin dēcrepitāre, from Latin crepitāre to crackle, from crepāre to creak

Example Sentences

In an ignition tube decrepitates, yielding water and turning gray.

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Muffle furnaces are suitable for fine ores which are liable to decrepitate or sinter.

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The crystals are in the form of small cubes and contain no water of crystallization; some water is, however, held in cavities in the crystals and causes the salt to decrepitate when heated.

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The bulb is also a convenient little instrument for the purpose of heating those substances which phosphoresce, and likewise those salts that decrepitate.

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It decrepitates before the blowpipe, but when fused with some borax in a small hollow on a piece of wood charcoal, gives a globule of copper.

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Related Words

• sparkle