desiccate
[ des-i-keyt ]
/ ˈdɛs ɪˌkeɪt /
verb (used with object), des·ic·cat·ed, des·ic·cat·ing.
to dry thoroughly; dry up.
to preserve (food) by removing moisture; dehydrate.
verb (used without object), des·ic·cat·ed, des·ic·cat·ing.
to become thoroughly dried or dried up.
Nearby words
desex, desexualize, deshabille, desi, desiccant, desiccate, desiccated, desiccation, desiccator, desiderata, desiderate
Origin of desiccate
Related formsdes·ic·ca·tion, noundes·ic·ca·tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for desiccate
And aint I the owner of that news, and should I not desiccate it if I can?
Molly Brown's Post-Graduate Days|Nell SpeedAnother effect of the over heating of the stove is to desiccate or parch the air, and to render it irritating when breathed.
Cooley's Practical Receipts, Volume II|Arnold CooleyThe effect of that would be to desiccate the human species in human conceit.
Marse Henry (Vol. 2)|Henry WattersonTo desiccate him in my laboratory with the quasi certainty of resuscitating him after the restoration of peace.
The Man With The Broken Ear|Edmond About
British Dictionary definitions for desiccate
desiccate
/ (ˈdɛsɪˌkeɪt) /
verb
(tr) to remove most of the water from (a substance or material); dehydrate
(tr) to preserve (food) by removing moisture; dry
(intr) to become dried up
Derived Formsdesiccation, noundesiccative, adjective
Word Origin for desiccate
C16: from Latin dēsiccāre to dry up, from de- + siccāre to dry, from siccus dry
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
Word Origin and History for desiccate
desiccate
1570s (past participle adjective desicatt is attested from early 15c.), from Latin desiccatus, past participle of desiccare "to make very dry" (see desiccation). Related: Desiccated; desiccating.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for desiccate
desiccate
[ dĕs′ĭ-kāt′ ]
v.
To dry thoroughly; render free from moisture.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for desiccate
desiccate
[ dĕs′ĭ-kāt′ ]
To remove the moisture from something or dry it thoroughly.♦ A desiccator is a container that removes moisture from the air within it.♦ A desiccator contains a desiccant, a substance that traps or absorbs water molecules. Some desiccants include silica gel (silicon dioxide), calcium sulfate (dehydrated gypsum), calcium oxide (calcined lime), synthetic molecular sieves (porous crystalline aluminosilicates), and dried clay.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.