dehydration

[dee-hahy-drey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or process of dehydrating.

2. an abnormal loss of water from the body, especially from illness or physical exertion.

dehydration

1. The process of losing or removing water or moisture.

2. A condition caused by the excessive loss of water from the body, which causes a rise in blood sodium levels. Since dehydration is most often caused by excessive sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea, water loss is usually accompanied by a deficiency of electrolytes. If untreated, severe dehydration can lead to shock.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dehydration¹

First recorded in 1850–55; dehydrate + -ion

Example Sentences

The remaining nine hundred were thrown into the sea, where most of them eventually died from dehydration, starvation, salt poisoning, and shark attacks.

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It can overwhelm the body's ability to regulate temperature, increasing the risk of dehydration, heatstroke, cardiovascular stress, and even death - particularly among the elderly, infants and outdoor workers.

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“The biggest threat to safety at every protest I’ve ever been at — unless law enforcement gets involved — is always dehydration and heat exhaustion,” Dunn said.

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She said that surviving trees also face the threat of dehydration as water has been sparse.

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Eubank was admitted to hospital after the win and said he lost a toenail to "severe dehydration".

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Related Words

• lack 
• scarcity