☁️ Like vapor 💨 Can become vapor

vaporific

9.9

Can become vapor when heated

adjective
/ˌveɪpəˈrɪfɪk/

Specialized

: vaporífico

This chemical is highly vaporific, so it should only be handled in a well-ventilated area.

Examples

Certain vaporific compounds must be stored in airtight containers to prevent loss through evaporation.
The vaporific liquid quickly turned into steam when heated.
The vaporific nature of the liquid made it suitable for use in scientific experiments.
The vaporific properties of the liquid were impressive.
The scientist studied the vaporific nature of the compound.
Because it is vaporific, this substance needs to be stored below room temperature.
In the lab, they preferred vaporific chemicals for their experiments due to their volatility.

Synonyms

volatile

vsvaporific

Specialized

1 7.5

A substance that easily turns into gas at room temperature

is the general capability, not the easy room temperature change

vaporizable

vsvaporific

Specialized

1 7.3

Can turn into a gas when heated or at room temperature

is the same ability expressed in a different word form

evaporable

vsvaporific

Specialized

7.7

Able to turn from a liquid into a gas when heated or left in the open air

is broader and names the general capacity not the process

volatilizable

vsvaporific

Specialized

9.6

Able to become a gas when heated

is stated more generally without requiring heat

Antonyms

solid

Specialized

9 1.0

A firm form of matter that keeps its shape, not liquid

nonvolatile

Specialized

7.4

A liquid or solid that does not turn into a gas at room temperature

How Volatile

gaseous

16 4.6

volatile

Specialized

1 7.5

vaporific

Specialized

9.9

vaporizable

Specialized

1 7.3

nonvolatile

Specialized

7.4

Surface Forms

vaporific positive

Morphology

vaporific = vapor (semi-transparent) = vapor + ific

The decomposition is transparent in form, but the sense 'capable of being converted into vapor' is a semantic extension of what '-ific' typically denotes and may not be obvious to learners.

Etymology

Vaporific comes from vapor ('steam' or 'mist') and the ending -fic meaning 'making' or 'able to make'. So a vaporific substance is one that can become or produce vapor easily, which is why the word is used for things that turn into steam or gas.