Lyophilize
verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Synonym of freeze-dry.
"Lyophilization The process of vacuum-drying substances from the frozen state. The water is sublimated into a trap at low temperature or is absorbed by drying agents. Verb: lyophilize."
- 2 to dry (blood, serum, or tissue) by freezing in a high vacuum wordnet
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"Lyophilization The process of vacuum-drying substances from the frozen state. The water is sublimated into a trap at low temperature or is absorbed by drying agents. Verb: lyophilize."
Etymology
First use appears c. 1894 in the US. From Ancient Greek λύω (lúō, “to loosen, to dissolve”) + φίλος (phílos, “beloved”) + -ίζειν (-ízein); equivalent to lyo- + -phile + -ize. Compare hydrophilic (“water-absorbing”, literally “water-loving”) for use of -phile for “absorbing”. See lyophilization for more. Cognates exist in other European languages by means of the same construction.