deliquesce
verb
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L331381 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛs/ / /ˌdɛləˈkwɛs/
verb
Etymology: From Latin dēliquēscō, from dē- + liquēscō (“to liquefy”).
- To melt by absorbing water and disappearing.
“But I could find no saltpetre; indeed, no nitrates of any kind. Doubtless they had deliquesced ages ago.”
“The buildings were Victorian ruins; there were never any razor blades; cheap socks deliquesced beneath your feet.”
- To become liquid by absorbing water from the atmosphere and dissolving in it.
“Some salts will deliquesce when left exposed.”