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desiccation

desiccation

2 8.6
A process that removes water from something so it becomes very dry
  • noun
  • /ˌdɛsɪˈkeɪʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : deshidratación
  • One of the great hazards of desert life for all unicellular organisms is desiccation.
  • desiccation tolerance
  • desiccation cracks
  • soil desiccation

Examples

  • Ophthalmic eye ointment was applied to the cornea to prevent desiccation during surgery.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Furthermore, a recent study has linked desiccation resistance to the composition of the outer membrane.

    Academic text (2018)
  • The desiccation of the tissues has gone further than I thought It's not as bad as I feared.

  • In the view of many Basotho, the desiccation of the land

    Academic text (1998)
  • Pathogens on the plant and soil surfaces are subject to desiccation, radiation from the sun, and other environmental effects.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Adding fibers effectively reduces the number and width of desiccation cracks.

    Academic text (2016)
  • The shell provides strong protection against predation and desiccation in sessile marine animals such as oysters.

    Blog text (31)
  • Earth structures constructed using clayey soils develop desiccation cracks as a result of being subjected to wet-dry cycles.

    Academic text (2016)
  • Indeed, in Acinetobacter baylyi, a nonpathogenic relative of A. baumannii, capsular polysaccharides promote survival during periods of desiccation.

    Academic text (2018)
  • The desiccation of the once lush farmland left it barren and unproductive.

Synonyms

dryness
vsdesiccation
8 1.0

Lack of water or wetness in something

is the process as well as result that actively removes moisture to create that state
dehydration
vsdesiccation
3 3.4

Removing water from food or other things to make them dry

is about creating an extreme absence of moisture rather than mere water loss
drying up
vsdesiccation
1 3.2

A process in which water leaves something until it is no longer wet

is stronger, leaving objects with an extreme lack of moisture
dehumidification
vsdesiccation
  • Specialized
6.0

To remove water from air or a room to keep it dry

is broader, applying to any material or substance not only air or spaces

Antonyms

14 3.7

The process of something taking in water

1 2.3

A small act of making something slightly wet before use

How Dry

aridity
  • Specialized
1 7.9
desiccation
  • Specialized
2 8.6
dryness
8 1.0
dampness
8 1.0
moisture
107 1.0

Surface Forms

desiccation singular
desiccations plural

Morphology

desiccation = desiccate (transparent) = desiccate + ation

Formed by the regular nominalizing suffix '-ation' from the verb 'desiccate', so the noun denotes the process or result of drying.

Etymology

Desiccation comes from Latin parts de- meaning 'completely' and siccare meaning 'to dry', so it means 'to dry out'. That's why desiccation is the process of removing moisture and making something very dry.