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desiccative

 - 5 dictionary results

des⋅ic⋅cate

  [des-i-keyt] verb, -cat⋅ed, -cat⋅ing.
Use desiccative in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to dry thoroughly; dry up.
2. to preserve (food) by removing moisture; dehydrate.
–verb (used without object)
3. to become thoroughly dried or dried up.
Origin:
1565–75; < L dēsiccātus dried up, ptp. of dēsiccāre, equiv. to dē- de- + siccāre, deriv. of siccus dry; see -ate 1

Related forms:
des⋅ic⋅ca⋅tion, noun
des⋅ic⋅ca⋅tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To desiccative
des·ic·cate   (děs'ĭ-kāt')   
v.   des·ic·cat·ed, des·ic·cat·ing, des·ic·cates

v.   tr.

  1. To dry out thoroughly.

  2. To preserve (foods) by removing the moisture. See Synonyms at dry.

  3. To make dry, dull, or lifeless.

v.   intr.
To become dry; dry out.
adj.   also (-kĭt)
Lacking spirit or animation; arid: "There was only the sun-bruised and desiccate feeling in his mind" (J.R. Salamanca).

[Latin dēsiccāre, dēsiccāt- : dē-, de- + siccāre, to dry up (from siccus, dry).]
des'ic·ca'tion n., des'ic·ca'tive adj., des'ic·ca'tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: des·ic·cate
Pronunciation: 'des-i-"kAt
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: -cat·ed; -cat·ing
transitivesenses
1 : to dry up or cause to dry up : deprive or exhaust of moisture; especially : to dry thoroughly desiccated the immediately adjoining tissue with a needle electrode>
2 : to preserve a food by drying : DEHYDRATE desiccated coconut> desiccate intransitive senses
: to become driedup : undergo a desiccating process

Main Entry: de·sic·ca·tive
Pronunciation: 'des-i-"kAt-iv, di-'sik-&t-
Function: adjective
: drying up or tending to dry updesiccative characteristics>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

desiccate des·ic·cate (děs'ĭ-kāt')
v. des·ic·cat·ed, des·ic·cat·ing, des·ic·cates
To dry thoroughly; render free from moisture.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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