desiccate
to dry thoroughly; dry up.
to preserve (food) by removing moisture; dehydrate.
to become thoroughly dried or dried up.
Origin of desiccate
1Other words from desiccate
- des·ic·ca·tion, noun
- des·ic·ca·tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for desiccate
/ (ˈdɛsɪˌkeɪt) /
(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
Origin of desiccate
1Derived forms of desiccate
- desiccation, noun
- desiccative, adjective
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
Scientific definitions for 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.
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