What does "desiccate" mean?
A substance which has been desiccated, that is, had its moisture removed.
Desiccate
/ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A substance which has been desiccated, that is, had its moisture removed.
- Grammar: desiccate is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: dehydrate, air-dry, anhydrate, arere.
- Useful contrasts: brandied, dampest, drip-irrigated.
- Usage evidence: […] As in Bodies deſsiccate, by Heat, or Age; For in them, when the Natiue Spirit goeth forth, and the Moiſture with it, the Aire with time getteth into the Pores.
How to use "desiccate"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "desiccate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "desiccate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "desiccate" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "desiccate" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "dehydrate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A substance which has been desiccated, that is, had its moisture removed.
"The Cy dyes are shipped as a desiccate in sealed packs."
Verb
- 1 To remove moisture from; to dry; (sometimes) to dry to an extreme degree. transitive
"[…] As in Bodies deſsiccate, by Heat, or Age; For in them, when the Natiue Spirit goeth forth, and the Moiſture with it, the Aire with time getteth into the Pores."
- 2 lose water or moisture wordnet
- 3 To preserve by drying. transitive
"The nuts are then passed into a double disc machine, and this travelling at a speed of 3,000 revolutions per minute desiccates the coconut."
- 4 remove water from wordnet
- 5 To become dry; to dry up. intransitive, rare
"Lately, in France, they stopped the boiling process in the preparation of brown sugar a few degrees before the point of crystallization, which is 243°, or 244°; and then spreading their syrup over their copper pans, placed round a stove or bake house, leave the syrup to desiccate slowly, and to crystallize in what they call the natural way; […]"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 preserve by removing all water and liquids from wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Having had moisture removed; dehydrated, desiccated.
"It [the byssus fungus] is not only capable of propagation by the most minute fragments, however rudely detached, but it also retains the principle of revivification for years together when in a desiccate state."
Adjective
- 1 lacking vitality or spirit; lifeless wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"[…] As in Bodies deſsiccate, by Heat, or Age; For in them, when the Natiue Spirit goeth forth, and the Moiſture with it, the Aire with time getteth into the Pores."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "desiccate"?
Common synonyms include: dehydrate, air-dry, anhydrate, arere, arid, aridifying.
How do you use "desiccate" in a sentence?
[…] As in Bodies deſsiccate, by Heat, or Age; For in them, when the Natiue Spirit goeth forth, and the Moiſture with it, the Aire with time getteth into the Pores.
How do you pronounce "desiccate"?
Pronounced /ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Latin dēsiccō (“to dry completely, dry up”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix), from dē- (“completely, to exhaustion”, a prefix) + siccō (“to dry; to drain, exhaust”), from siccus (“dry”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix). By surface analysis, de- + siccate.
Etymology 2
From Latin dēsiccātus (“dried up”), the perfect passive participle of dēsiccō: see above. Equivalent to Latin dēsiccō + -ate (adjective-forming suffix).
Etymology 3
From the substantivation of the above adjective. Equivalent to Latin dēsiccō + -ate (noun-forming suffix).