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desiccate
[ des-i-keyt ]
/ ˈdɛs ɪˌkeɪt /
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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.
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Origin of desiccate
OTHER WORDS FROM desiccate
des·ic·ca·tion, noundes·ic·ca·tive, adjectiveWords nearby desiccate
desexualize, deshabille, desi, De Sica, desiccant, desiccate, desiccated, desiccation, desiccator, desiderata, desiderate
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use desiccate in a sentence
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 forms of desiccate
desiccation, noundesiccative, adjectiveWord 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
Medical 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.
Scientific 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.