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supercool

supercool

1 7.6
A liquid that stays unfrozen below its normal freezing point
  • adjective
  • /ˈsuːpərˌkuːl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sobreenfriado
  • In winter, some water can become supercool, staying liquid despite being below 0 degrees Celsius.

Examples

  • A Supercool Solution

    Academic text (1993)
  • The scientist studied supercool liquids, which remain in a liquid state even at temperatures below freezing.

  • Supercooling allows water to exist as a liquid at extremely low temperatures, which is evident in certain natural phenomena.

How Cold

supercool
  • Specialized
1 7.6
freezing
1.0
cold
1.0
cool
608 1.0

Surface Forms

supercool positive

Morphology

supercool = cool (semi-transparent) = super + cool

Formed by productive prefix 'super-' + 'cool' so the relation is clear, but the sense here is a specialized scientific meaning (liquid below its freezing point yet unfrozen) that may not be fully derivable by an average learner.

Etymology

Supercool comes from the start super- meaning 'extra' and cool meaning 'not warm'. In science it describes a liquid that is made 'extra cold' below its usual freezing point but still stays liquid.