liquefy
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of liquefy
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English lyquefyen, from Old French liquefier, translation of Latin liquefacere “to melt” ( see liquefacient); see -fy
Explanation
When you turn a solid into a liquid, like when you set an ice cube in the sunshine and watch it melt into a puddle of water, you liquefy it. You can liquefy a solid by heating it until it melts, and you can also say the substance itself liquefies. A jar of coconut oil that's hard and solid in the refrigerator will liquefy if you leave it on the counter on a warm summer day. The Latin root of liquefy is liquefacere, "make liquid," from liquere, "be fluid," and facere, "to make."
Vocabulary lists containing liquefy
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
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The Hot Zone
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"Modern Automotive Technology," Vocabulary from Section 12
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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.
Egypt has facilities to liquefy natural gas that allow the energy source to be shipped abroad.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025
Calpine appealed to him partly because of its work on carbon capture, a process allowing it to capture the carbon dioxide emissions coming out of plants, liquefy them, and store them underground.
From Barron's • Oct. 17, 2025
But the company uses the heat generated by the electricity itself, rather than acid, to liquefy the ore.
From Science Magazine • Apr. 30, 2024
“All I want to say is that I love you so much, I don’t want to be without you,” D’Angelo croons repeatedly, until his language seems to liquefy.
From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2024
Her liver had begun to liquefy, and the needle was large.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
