hygroscopic
1
9.9
- adjective
- /ˌhaɪɡrəˈskɒpɪk/
- Specialized
- Glycerin is hygroscopic, which means it easily absorbs moisture from the air and helps maintain humidity.
- hygroscopic salts
- hygroscopic materials absorb water
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Watch on YouTubeWhat about hygroscopic cloud seeding, which works by spraying clouds with particles that absorb water to make the clouds rain off?
- What about hygroscopic cloud seeding, which works by spraying clouds with particles that absorb water to make the clouds rain off?
Examples
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Brake fluid is hygroscopic (well, dot 5 apparently is not), which means that after a while, the boiling point is lowered.
Blog text (13) -
Glycerin is something that is naturally hygroscopic, and this only means that it can easily absorb the water from the surroundings.
Blog text (32) -
Because hide glue is hygroscopic, it will absorb water and become soft, and that would result in a compromised joint.
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In the lab, he concocted a colorless, hygroscopic goo that would turn liquid and green in about three hours.
Fiction book (1991) -
What about hygroscopic cloud seeding, which works by spraying clouds with particles that absorb water to make the clouds rain off?
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These hygroscopic particles may increase cloud condensation nuclei and lead to an increase in the number of cloud droplets.
Academic text (1994) -
Not only is it hygroscopic, meaning that it absorbs moisture and will swell and create cracks and can contribute to mold growth, but pests love it.
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This allows extensive permeation and contamination of absorbent (hygroscopic) materials such as wood, gypsum, paper, and concrete to occur.
Academic text (1994) -
The major components of these products are anti-infectives such as polymyxin B, neomycin, gentamicin, and chloramphenicol in a non-aqueous hygroscopic vehicle, to which a corticosteroid is frequently added.
Academic text (2004) -
In addition, these vehicles are hygroscopic—that is, they draw moisture from the tissues, thereby diminishing the moisture available to infecting microorganisms and reducing inflammation.
Academic text (2004)
How Hygroscopic
Surface Forms
Morphology
hygroscopic = hygroscope (opaque) = hygro + scop + ic
The components are Greek combining forms unfamiliar as standalone English morphemes, so learners cannot reliably infer the meaning from the immediate base form.
Etymology
Hygroscopic comes from two old parts: hygro- meaning 'moist' or 'wet' and -scopic (like scope) meaning 'to look' or 'show'. A helpful image is a 'moisture watcher' that pulls water from the air, which is why hygroscopic describes a material that tends to absorb moisture.