Deliquescent
[del-ə-KWES-ənt]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, late 18th century
1.
Becoming liquid, or having a tendency to become liquid.
2.
(Chemistry) (of a solid) tending to absorb moisture from the air and dissolve in it.
Examples of Deliquescent in a sentence
"Ice removed from the freezer quickly becomes deliquescent."
"Today’s chemistry lesson was about potential uses of deliquescent substances."
About Deliquescent
This word comes from the Latin “deliquescentem,” present participle of “deliquescere,” meaning "to melt away."
Did you Know?
The majority of deliquescent substances (those that absorb water from the air) are salts, such as calcium chloride, and sodium nitrate. Table salt, otherwise known as sodium chloride, can be deliquescent, but only if the particles are small enough and the humidity level is extremely high. In extremely humid climates you might see rice in salt shakers, attempting to prevent deliquescence.
