desiccant

[ des-i-kuhnt ]

See synonyms for desiccant on Thesaurus.com

adjective

desiccating or drying, as a medicine.

noun

a desiccant substance or agent.

Origin of desiccant

1670–80; <Latin dēsiccant-, stem of dēsiccāns, present participle of dēsiccāre to dry up. See desiccate, -ant

Words Nearby desiccant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use desiccant in a sentence

Even if food-related uses are probably out, there are still plenty of ways to safely reuse the desiccant and keep it out of landfills and waterways for a bit longer after reactivating the packets.
5 reasons to hold on to old silica gel packets | Bridget Reed Morawski | July 27, 2022 | Popular-Science
The desiccant absorbs it, keeping the glass clear — until the desiccant stops working.
Cloudy double-pane windows are to be expected with time | Jeanne Huber | January 11, 2021 | Washington Post
Alive or dead, the gunk was the most powerful desiccant I'd ever heard of.
The Water Eater | Win Marks

British Dictionary definitions for desiccant

desiccant

/ (ˈdɛsɪkənt) /

adjective

desiccating or drying

noun

a substance, such as calcium oxide, that absorbs water and is used to remove moisture; a drying agent

Origin of desiccant

C17: from Latin dēsiccāns drying up; see desiccate

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

Browse