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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)

"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

Other Word Forms

  • desalination noun
  • desalinator noun

Etymology

Origin of desalinate

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

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 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

It can even desalinate water quickly, which means ocean water could potentially be used to fight a blaze like the Palisades fire in the future.

From Los Angeles Times

They say it’s not really desalinating seawater in the traditional sense, but rather harvesting fresh water from devices that function like wells in the ocean.

From Los Angeles Times

Some countries do provide subsidies for desalinated water; unfortunately, they can be insufficient.

From Science Daily

The treatment technology is similar to the process used for desalinating seawater, but recycling wastewater requires less energy and is less costly than turning saltwater into freshwater.

From Los Angeles Times