desiccate
DES-ih-kayt
/ˈdɛs.ɪ.keɪt/
To dry out thoroughly; to remove all moisture from something to preserve it or change its texture.
Desiccate is much stronger than 'dry' or 'dehydrate'; it implies removing virtually 100% of moisture, leaving the substance completely parched or brittle.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'desiccare', where the prefix 'de-' means 'thoroughly' and 'siccare' means 'to dry' (from 'siccus', dry). It is the same root that gives us the Italian wine term 'secco' (dry).
Word relationships
- dehydrate: 'Dehydrate' is commonly used for food and biological bodies losing water, while 'desiccate' is more extreme, scientific, and implies total dryness.
- parch: 'Parch' usually implies drying with heat (like parched corn), whereas 'desiccate' can be done via chemicals, vacuum, or air.
- hydrate: 'Hydrate' means to add water, the exact opposite of desiccating.
- moisten: 'Moisten' means to make slightly wet, whereas desiccate means to make bone-dry.
Commonly confused with
- dry: 'Dry' is a common, everyday word, while 'desiccate' is a formal, scientific term for extreme dryness.
Word family
- desiccation (noun): The state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying.
- desiccant (noun): A substance used to absorb moisture and keep things dry (like silica gel packets).
Collocations
- completely desiccate
- desiccate thoroughly
- desiccated coconut
Example sentences
- "The laboratory used a vacuum chamber to desiccate the fruit samples, turning them into a fine, shelf-stable powder." A scientific paper on food preservation technologies.
- "The intense heat of the salt flats will quickly desiccate any organic matter left exposed to the elements." A description of extreme desert environments.
Memory hook
Think of a 'desert cactus' (des-i-ccate). A desert cactus survives in places so dry they would desiccate any other plant. Desiccate makes it dry as a desert plate.
When not to use
Do not use for simple, partial drying where some moisture is intentionally left behind (like soft raisins).
Fun facts
- Those little paper packets labeled 'Do Not Eat' found in shoe boxes and beef jerky bags contain silica gel, which acts as a desiccant to prevent moisture damage.
Related words
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