deliquescent
- adjective
- /ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛsənt/
- Specialized
:
deliquescente
- Scientists studied the deliquescent properties of certain substances to understand how they react to atmospheric moisture.
Examples
-
Wet air is directed into the bottom of a tank filled with deliquescent tablets.
Academic text (1998) -
After being exposed to the humid environment, the deliquescent crystals slowly dissolved into a liquid.
-
This company's deliquescent dryers can be installed inside or out and deliver a compensating dew point for year-round dependability with a pressure drop of less than 1 percent.
Academic text (1998) -
The deliquescent salt absorbed moisture from the humid air, turning into a puddle on the table.
Synonyms
To turn from a solid into a liquid
Antonyms
How Wet
Surface Forms
Morphology
deliquescent = deliquesce (semi-transparent) = deliquesce + ent
The adjective is formed from the verb 'deliquesce' with a standard adjectival suffix, so the relationship is direct but both the verb and the suffix are relatively technical and uncommon for average learners.
Etymology
Deliquescent comes from Latin parts de- and liquescere, which mean 'melt away' or 'become liquid', and it shares the same root as liquid. So, a deliquescent substance 'melts' into liquid by absorbing moisture from the air.