desalinate

American  

[dee-sal-uh-neyt] / diˈsæl əˌneɪt /

verb (used with object)

desalinated, desalinating

1. desalt.

---

desalinate British  

/ diːˈsælɪˌneɪt /

verb

1. Also: desalt.  (tr) to remove the salt from (esp from sea water)

---

Other Word Forms

• desalination
  noun
• desalinator
  noun

Etymology

Origin of desalinate

First recorded in 1945–50; de- + saline + -ate ¹

Explanation

To desalinate something is to remove all the salt from it. It's possible to desalinate ocean water in order to make it drinkable. Scientists have figured out how to desalinate seawater, making it much more useful to humans. Once you strip away the salt and other minerals that make it undrinkable, the water can be used for both drinking and irrigating crops, which can save the lives of people experiencing droughts. It's also sometimes necessary to desalinate soil so that plants can grow in it. Desalinate comes from de-, "undo," and saline, "made of salt."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

desalinate desalinated desalinating

While desalination facilities are abundant in countries like Israel, Australia, and Saudi Arabia where water scarcity is acute, the energy required to desalinate water at scale presents a significant environmental hurdle.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 18, 2024

The fuel cannot be used for hospitals or to desalinate water, and covers less than 10% of what the agency needs to sustain “lifesaving activities,” said Thomas White, the agency’s Gaza director.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 15, 2023

There are currently two techniques used to desalinate seawater - thermal and membrane.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2023

The island lacked potable water, so Professor Fredkin developed a reverse-osmosis technology to desalinate seawater, which he turned into another business.

From New York Times ● Jul. 4, 2023

California also hosts about 20 brackish water plants which can desalinate slightly salty water from rivers, aqueducts and other sources.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2022

The country currently produces a little more than 657,000 cubic metres per day of desalinated water thanks to 341 plants.

From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026

The Persian Gulf is now home to the largest concentration of desalination capacity on earth, producing roughly 40% of the world’s desalinated water.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026

Ras Laffan also houses gas-to-liquids facilities — these convert natural gas into liquid petroleum products — along with a refinery and water and power plants that produce desalinated water and generate electricity.

From Salon ● Mar. 21, 2026

“The key strategy in overcoming it is to build in some diversification of supply — to groundwater, desalinated water and reused wastewater — in addition to reducing demand.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2025

The algae naturally and continuously desalinated sea water, which was why its core was salty while its outer surface was wet with fresh water: it was oozing the fresh water out.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Water agencies are also creating new supplies for trade, including by recycling sewage water or desalinating ocean water.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

"The ship can produce fresh water by desalinating seawater, but that becomes difficult if we are not sailing," he says.

From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2026

Now, faced with declining water levels, Iran has turned to new technical solutions, like transferring water from one area to another and desalinating seawater, an energy-intensive and polluting practice.

From New York Times ● Jun. 21, 2023

Some water-stressed regions, including some entire countries, are already desalinating seawater.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 17, 2023

The seven-member panel analyzed proposals that would involve desalinating seawater in Mexico, at the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, and sending it north across the border.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2022