deliquesce
verb /ˌdelɪˈkwes/
/ˌdelɪˈkwes/
(formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they deliquesce | /ˌdelɪˈkwes/ /ˌdelɪˈkwes/ |
| he / she / it deliquesces | /ˌdelɪˈkwesɪz/ /ˌdelɪˈkwesɪz/ |
| past simple deliquesced | /ˌdelɪˈkwest/ /ˌdelɪˈkwest/ |
| past participle deliquesced | /ˌdelɪˈkwest/ /ˌdelɪˈkwest/ |
| -ing form deliquescing | /ˌdelɪˈkwesɪŋ/ /ˌdelɪˈkwesɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to become liquid as a result of decaying (= being destroyed by natural processes)
- [intransitive] (chemistry) to become liquid as a result of taking in water from the air
Word Originmid 18th cent.: from Latin deliquescere ‘dissolve’, from de- ‘down’ + liquescere ‘become liquid’ (from liquere ‘be liquid’).