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Glite Dictionary
🤕 A swelling 🔥 Expansion by heat
intumescence

intumescence

9.9
An increase in size of a material when heated that often releases water in fireproof coatings
  • noun
  • /ˌɪntəˈmɛsəns/
  • Specialized
translation icon : intumescencia
  • The fire safety coating relied on intumescence to expand and protect the underlying surface.

Examples

  • Upon heating, the mineral underwent intumescence and released steam.

  • The process of intumescence is critical for certain fire-retardant materials.

  • The intumescence of the material was noticeable during the heating process.

  • Can you explain the concept of intumescence in chemistry?

  • The fire safety coating relied on intumescence to expand and protect the underlying surface.

  • The process of intumescence is critical for certain fire-retardant materials.

  • Upon heating, the mineral underwent intumescence and released steam.

Synonyms

swelling
vsintumescence
  • Specialized
1 4.1

An increase in size of a material, often when heated

is more specific to certain chemicals and materials when heated
intumescency
vsintumescence
  • Specialized
9.9

A material that swells and gets bigger when heated, often releasing water

has identical meaning but uses a different standard spelling

Antonyms

contraction
34 4.4

A process of becoming smaller in size or amount

How Expanded

expansion
241 3.3
intumescence
  • Specialized
9.9
swelling
  • Specialized
1 4.1
foaming
2.9

Surface Forms

intumescence singular
intumescences plural

Morphology

intumescence = tumescence (semi-transparent) = in + tumescence

Formation is the same (in- + tumescence), but the technical/materials-science sense ('increase in volume when heated') is a specialized extension of 'swelling', making it less directly inferable for average learners.

Etymology

Intumescence comes from the Latin parts in- 'in' and tumescere 'to swell', the same root as tumor, so it literally means 'swelling'. That's why the word is used for materials that expand or 'puff up' when heated, as a protective swelling on a surface.