Showing results for "saturated"

• past tense form of saturate.
• past participle of saturate.

saturated

American  

[sach-uh-rey-tid] / ˈsætʃ əˌreɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. soaked, impregnated, or imbued thoroughly; charged thoroughly or completely; brought to a state of saturation.

2. (of colors) of maximum chroma or purity; of the highest intensity of hue; free from admixture of white.

3. Chemistry.

   1. (of a solution) containing the maximum amount of solute capable of being dissolved under given conditions.

   2. (of an organic compound) containing no double or triple bonds; having each single bond attached to an atom or group.

   3. (of an inorganic compound) having no free valence electrons.

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saturated British  

/ ˈsætʃəˌreɪtɪd /

adjective

1. (of a solution or solvent) containing the maximum amount of solute that can normally be dissolved at a given temperature and pressure See also supersaturated

2. (of a colour) having a large degree of saturation

3. 1. containing no multiple bonds and thus being incapable of undergoing additional reactions

      a saturated hydrocarbon

   2. containing no unpaired valence electrons

4. (of a fat, esp an animal fat) containing a high proportion of fatty acids having single bonds See also polyunsaturated unsaturated

5. (of a vapour) containing the equilibrium amount of gaseous material at a given temperature and pressure See also supersaturated

6. (of a magnetic material) fully magnetized

7. extremely wet; soaked

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saturated Scientific  

/ săch′ə-rā′tĭd /

1. Relating to an organic compound in which all the carbon atoms are joined by single bonds and therefore cannot be combined with any additional atoms or radicals. Propane and cyclopentane are examples of saturated hydrocarbons.

2. Compare unsaturated

3. Relating to a solution that is unable to dissolve more of a solute.

4. Containing as much water vapor as is possible at a given temperature. Air that is saturated has a relative humidity of 100 percent.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsaturated
  adjective
• subsaturated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of saturated

First recorded in 1660–70; saturate + -ed ²

Explanation

Saturated means drenched and full. When you fish out a slice of bread that’s fallen into your water glass and find it’s disgustingly spongy and waterlogged, it’s saturated. Saturated originally meant “satisfied," but by the 1700s it could mean “soaked thoroughly.” In the twentieth century it developed marketing connotations, as in a saturated market — one without room for competition. In chemistry, saturated refers to an organic compound, like a fatty acid, that contains the highest number of hydrogen atoms possible. When it comes to color, saturated means pure, or undiluted with white, grey, or black.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

saturated

"This observation also holds true online and on the street, which are saturated with demands to consume," group president Marie-Amandine Stévenin added.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

That may help explain why the effects of eating dairy can differ from what would be predicted by looking at saturated fat or other individual nutrients in isolation.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

For decades, Kennedy says, the government has lied to Americans about saturated fat.

From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026

The potential benefits of coffee, however, can be diluted or eliminated by the stuff many people add to it, the authors said, like sugar, syrups and creamers with a lot of saturated fat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

He saturated a handkerchief with the salve and wrapped the hand.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• soaked
• soggy
• waterlogged