saturate

[ verb sach-uh-reyt; adjective, noun sach-er-it, -uh-reyt ]

/ verb ˈsætʃ əˌreɪt; adjective, noun ˈsætʃ ər ɪt, -əˌreɪt /

verb (used with object), sat·u·rat·ed, sat·u·rat·ing.

to cause (a substance) to unite with the greatest possible amount of another substance, through solution, chemical combination, or the like.

to charge to the utmost, as with magnetism.

to soak, impregnate, or imbue thoroughly or completely: to saturate a sponge with water; a town saturated with charm.

to destroy (a target) completely with bombs and missiles.

to send so many planes over (a target area) that the defensive electronic tracking equipment becomes ineffective.

to furnish (a market) with goods to its full purchasing capacity.

verb (used without object), sat·u·rat·ed, sat·u·rat·ing.

to become saturated.

adjective

saturated.

noun

a saturated fat or fatty acid.

Nearby words

sattva, sattvic, satu-mare, saturable, saturant, saturate, saturated, saturated adiabatic lapse rate, saturated compound, saturated fat, saturated fats

Origin of saturate

1530–40; < Latin saturātus (past participle of saturāre to fill), equivalent to satur- full, well-fed (see sad) + -ātus -ate¹

SYNONYMS FOR saturate

3 See wet.

Related forms

de·sat·u·rate, verb (used with object), de·sat·u·rat·ed, de·sat·u·rat·ing.o·ver·sat·u·rate, verb (used with object), o·ver·sat·u·rat·ed, o·ver·sat·u·rat·ing.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for oversaturated

Beyond this region lie the great nations of Asia, "oversaturated" with population.
Applied Eugenics|Paul Popenoe and Roswell Hill Johnson
Oversaturated, the alimentary system refuses to work properly.
The Iron Ration|George Abel Schreiner

British Dictionary definitions for oversaturated (1 of 2)

oversaturated

/ (ˌəʊvəˈsætʃəˌreɪtɪd) /

adjective

(of igneous rocks) containing excess silica

British Dictionary definitions for oversaturated (2 of 2)

saturate

verb (ˈsætʃəˌreɪt)

to fill, soak, or imbue totally

to make (a chemical compound, vapour, solution, magnetic material, etc) saturated or (of a compound, vapour, etc) to become saturated

(tr) military to bomb or shell heavily

adjective (ˈsætʃərɪt, -ˌreɪt)

a less common word for saturated

Derived Forms

saturater or saturator, noun

Word Origin for saturate

C16: from Latin saturāre, from satur sated, from satis enough

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

Medicine definitions for oversaturated

saturate

[ săch′ə-rāt′ ]

v.

To imbue or impregnate thoroughly.

To soak, fill, or load to capacity.

To cause a substance to unite with the greatest possible amount of another substance.

To satisfy all the chemical affinities of a substance; neutralize.

To dissolve a substance up to that concentration beyond which the addition of more results in a second phase.

Related forms

sat′u•ra•ble (săch′ər-ə-bəl) adj.sat′u•ra′tor n.