to decrepitate

9.9

To make small, loud cracks or pops when heated, like salts and minerals

verb
/dɪˈkrɛpɪˌteɪt/

Specialized

: decrepitar

When strongly heated, the crystals decrepitate and split apart noisily.

Examples

As the salt began to decrepitate, a series of tiny pops filled the laboratory.
During the experiment, he watched the mineral decrepitate in the flame.
The salt began to decrepitate when heated.
As the mineral heated up, it decrepitated loudly.
As the salt began to decrepitate, a series of tiny pops filled the laboratory.
During the experiment, he watched the mineral decrepitate in the flame.
When strongly heated, the crystals decrepitate and split apart noisily.

Synonyms

to sizzle

vsto decrepitate

25 3.7

To make a hissing, crackling sound when hot, as in frying

occurs when heated and often causes bursting in salts and minerals

to crepitate

vsto decrepitate

9.9

Make a crackling or popping sound like burning wood

occurs when heated and often involves bursting in salts or minerals

How Noisy

to explode

579 2.8

to burst

164 1.4

to decrepitate

Specialized

9.9

pop

3.1

to crackle

33 2.8

Surface Forms

decrepitate infinitive

decrepitated past

decrepitated past participle

decrepitating present participle

decrepitates third person singular

Morphology

decrepitate = crepitate (semi-transparent) = de + crepitate

Formed by prefixation of 'de-' to 'crepitate'; the relation to 'crepitate' is direct but both words are rare and the prefix does not convey a clear negation or common meaning here.

Etymology

Decrepitate comes from the Latin root crepare, which means 'to rattle' or 'to creak', and the prefix de- helps make it a verb. So, to decrepitate is to burst or split with a sharp, crackling sound when heated, like salt or crystals that 'crackle' in a flame.