evaporation

American  

[ih-vap-uh-ray-shuhn] / ɪˌvæp əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

• evaporations
  plural

1. the act or process of evaporating.

2. the state of being evaporated.

3. Archaic. matter or the quantity of matter evaporated or passed off in vapor.

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evaporation Scientific  

/ ĭ-văp′ə-rā′shən /

1. The change of a liquid into a vapor at a temperature below the boiling point. Evaporation takes place at the surface of a liquid, where molecules with the highest kinetic energy are able to escape. When this happens, the average kinetic energy of the liquid is lowered, and its temperature decreases.

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evaporation Cultural  

1. The changing of a liquid into a gas, often under the influence of heat (as in the boiling of water). (See vaporization.)

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Usage

What does evaporation mean? Evaporation is the process of changing from a liquid or solid state into vapor (like fog, mist, or steam). Evaporation is a noun form of the verb evaporate. Both terms are typically used in the context of water turning into water vapor. Water evaporates when it changes into steam through boiling, but in scientific terms, evaporation typically refers to the change of a liquid into a vapor at a temperature below the boiling point, such as the evaporation of water from the surface of the ocean. In this way, evaporation is an important part of the water cycle. The verb evaporate can also be used in a figurative way meaning to disappear, and evaporation can be used in this figurative way as well. Example: The evaporation of the dew from the grass each morning happens more quickly in the sunny parts of the yard.

Discover More

The evaporation of water from the oceans is a major component in the hydrologic cycle.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonevaporation
  noun
• preevaporation
  noun
• evaporative
  adjective
• nonevaporative
  adjective
• unevaporative
  adjective
• evaporatively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• evaporations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of evaporation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English evaporacioun, from Latin ēvapōrātiōn- (stem of ēvapōrātiō ); see evaporate, -ion

Compare meaning

How does evaporation compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• transpiration vs. evaporation

Explanation

Evaporation takes place when liquid turns into gas. Ever noticed how water disappears from a glass if you leave it sitting on your counter? That's not thirsty gnomes living in your kitchen: it’s evaporation. Evaporation comes from the Latin evaporare, which means “disperse in vapor or steam.” Depending on the humidity level of the air around it, any liquid will release some of its molecules into the atmosphere around it. That’s evaporation. With time, the liquid can fully evaporate. That's why evaporation can apply to anything that disappears, like the evaporation of your money that leaves you with nothing but an empty wallet.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

evaporation evaporations

As ocean evaporation shifts east, it generates warm air that rises into the atmosphere.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Like many European countries, the Netherlands has been hit by a historic summer drought caused by a prolonged dry spell, exceptional heat and intense evaporation.

From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026

The low rainfall and high temperatures, which increase evaporation rates, have hit rivers hardest.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

But when the air is already humid, evaporation becomes less efficient.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026

Between that and evaporation, most pools are now totally empty.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

When it does, it will lead to one of the greatest evaporations of wealth in human history.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 4, 2022

In orbital flights, the astronauts burn liquid oxygen as fuel and breathe its evaporations.

From Time Magazine Archive

Were they watery particles of the air frozen as they floated; or were they evaporations from the snow frozen as they mounted ?

From The Natural History of Selborne by Gilbert White

Indefinable evaporations from the dark bundles of houses wherein people had packed themselves away.

From Erik Dorn by Ben Hecht

God grant that McClellan may preserve his western vigor and activity, and may not become softened and dissolved by these Washington evaporations.

From Diary from March 4, 1861, to November 12, 1862 by Adam G. de Gurowski, Count

Related Words

• dispersal
• melting