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effloresce

American  
[ef-luh-res] / ˌɛf ləˈrɛs /

verb (used without object)

effloresced, efflorescing
  1. to burst into bloom; blossom.

  2. Chemistry.

    1. to change either throughout or on the surface to a mealy or powdery substance upon exposure to air, as a crystalline substance through loss of water of crystallization.

    2. to become incrusted or covered with crystals of salt or the like through evaporation or chemical change.


effloresce British  
/ ˌɛflɔːˈrɛs /

verb

  1. to burst forth into or as if into flower; bloom

  2. to become powdery by loss of water or crystallization

  3. to become encrusted with powder or crystals as a result of chemical change or the evaporation of a solution

"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

Etymology

Origin of effloresce

1765–75; < Latin efflōrēscere to blossom out, equivalent to ef- ef- + flōrēscere to begin to bloom ( flōr ( i )-, stem of flōs flower + -ēscere -esce )

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.

Two decades later the image would effloresce in the story/novella “Cousins”:

From New York Times • Apr. 27, 2015

But eventually the virus predominates in the blood and the primitive cells effloresce into cancer.

From Time Magazine Archive

This is called "water of crystallization"; if it passes into the air by evaporation, the crystal crumbles to a powder- and is then said to effloresce.

From An Introduction to Chemical Science by Williams, Rufus Phillips

He does not tell us in this parable how the character which will effloresce in blossoms and set in fruits of goodness is produced.

From Expositions of Holy Scripture St. Luke by Maclaren, Alexander

But the broad principles will effloresce into all manner of perfectnesses and all fruits.

From Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians; Epistles of St. Peter and St. John by Maclaren, Alexander