deliquesce
/ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛs/ verb
Forms deliquesces deliquescing deliquesced
- verb (intransitive) To melt by absorbing water and disappearing.
- verb (intransitive, physical chemistry) To become liquid by absorbing water from the atmosphere and dissolving in it.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Latin dēliquēscō, from dē- + liquēscō (“to liquefy”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To dissolve gradually and become liquid by attracting and absorbing moisture from the air, as certain salts, acids, and alkalies.
Etymology [L. deliquescere to melt, dissolve; de- + liquescere to become fluid, melt, fr. liquere to be fluid. See Liquid.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “deliquesce”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details