Desiccate
/ˈdɛsɪˌkeɪt/
verbC2
Definition
To desiccate something means to take out all the water or moisture from it. This process makes the object very dry and often helps keep food or materials from spoiling. It is used in science, cooking, and storage to preserve things for a long time.
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See It in Action
To remove moisture completely from something, especially food or plants
- •The company desiccates fruits to sell them as dried snacks.
- •Scientists desiccate samples to study them without water damage.
- •Desiccated coconut is coconut with all moisture removed.
To make something very dry, often causing it to lose life or freshness
- •The hot sun desiccated the soil, making it hard for plants to grow.
- •The desert air desiccates everything it touches.
- •The old leaves were desiccated and brittle.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "desiccate" like "dry" (A1 word), but much stronger—completely dry with no water left at all
- ✓Picture a wet towel left in the sun until it is completely dry and hard
- ✓It feels like the dryness of old bread or dried fruit that lasts a long time without going bad
- ✓Sounds like "dessert" + "cake" → imagine a dry cake that has no moisture inside, very crumbly and hard
- ✓In stories, deserts are places that desiccate plants and animals because of the hot sun and no rain
- ✓NOT like "dry" (which can mean just less wet)—desiccate means removing almost every drop of water
- ✓NOT like "dehydrate" (which means losing water, often from the body)—desiccate is usually for objects or food, not people
- ✓NOT like "freeze" (which preserves by cold)—desiccate preserves by removing water, not by cold temperature
Try Other Words
- •Dehydrate: to remove water, often from the body or food (Use when talking about losing water but not necessarily completely dry)
- •Dry out: to become dry or remove moisture (Use in casual contexts for less complete drying)
- •Evaporate: to change from liquid to gas, removing water (Use when focusing on water turning into vapor)
- •Freeze-dry: to remove moisture by freezing and drying (Use in special food preservation contexts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "de-" (remove) + "siccare" (Latin root meaning to dry)
- •Etymology: From Latin "desiccare," meaning "to dry up"
- •Historical development: Used in English since the 1600s, mainly in scientific and technical contexts for drying processes
- •Modern usage: Common in food industry, science labs, and descriptions of very dry environments or materials
- •Key insight: Always about removing moisture completely, not just partly drying
Reflect & Connect
•How does desiccation help preserve food and other materials for a long time?
•Can you think of natural places or situations where desiccation happens without human help?
Fill in the blanks
1.To desiccate fruits, you must ___ all the water from them so they last longer.
2.The desert’s heat can desiccate the soil, making it ___ for plants to grow.
3.Unlike just drying clothes, to desiccate means to remove moisture ___.
4.Scientists often desiccate samples before ___ them to prevent damage.
5.When food is desiccated, it usually becomes ___ and lighter in weight.
6.You might desiccate herbs by leaving them in the sun until they are ___.
7.Desiccation is different from dehydration because dehydration usually refers to ___ losing water, not objects.