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Glite Dictionary
🔥 Swelling by heat 💧 Body swelling
intumescency

intumescency

9.9
A material that swells and gets bigger when heated, often releasing water
  • noun
  • /ˌɪntəˈmɛsənsi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : intumescencia
  • The fireproof coating relies on intumescency to swell and protect the steel structure beneath.

Examples

  • The effect of intumescency in certain clays can cause cracking in ceramic tiles during firing.

  • Heating the material caused significant intumescency.

  • New materials with improved intumescency are being tested in construction for enhanced safety.

  • The intumescency of the dough was impressive.

  • The fireproof coating relies on intumescency to swell and protect the steel structure beneath.

  • New materials with improved intumescency are being tested in construction for enhanced safety.

  • The effect of intumescency in certain clays can cause cracking in ceramic tiles during firing.

Synonyms

swelling
vsintumescency
  • Specialized
1 4.1

An increase in size of a material, often when heated

is a technical term for volume rise specifically caused by heating
intumescence
vsintumescency
  • Specialized
9.9

An increase in size of a material when heated that often releases water in fireproof coatings

is identical in meaning but is an alternate written form

Antonyms

contraction
34 4.4

A process of becoming smaller in size or amount

How Expanded

expansion
241 3.3
intumescency
  • Specialized
9.9
swelling
  • Specialized
1 4.1

Surface Forms

intumescency singular
intumescencies plural

Morphology

intumescency = intumescent (semi-transparent) = in + tumesce + ency

The suffix '-ency' forms a noun indicating a state or condition, but the specific scientific meaning might not be immediately clear.

Etymology

Intumescency comes from the Latin parts in- and tumescere, where tumescere means 'to swell'. The same root is in the common word tumor ('a swelling'), so intumescency is the puffing up of a material when heated, often with release of water that helps protect what is beneath.