desiccation

noun

des·​ic·​ca·​tion ˌde-si-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce desiccation (audio)
: the act or process of drying or desiccating something or the state of being or becoming dried up : removal or loss of moisture : thorough drying
desiccation of soil
This … led to the increasingly dry climate and eventual desiccation of all Central Asia and Tibet.Frits Staal

Examples of desiccation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The desiccation of China’s north and the region’s recent drought, in 2010 and 2011, have affected not only agriculture but also other water-dependent activities, such as hydroelectric power generation. Veerabhadran Ramanathan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2016 If that happens, or if there’s a lack of insulating snow cover, winter desiccation can occur. Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024 Some compared the rapid desiccation to the effect of turning off a giant faucet. Hunter Clauss, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2024 In a transformative role, Daniel Craig immerses himself into Burroughs’s alter ego William Lee, a habitual heroin user luxuriating in freedom and desiccation among a disconnected group of gay American expatriates in Mexico City in the late 1940s. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for desiccation 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of desiccation was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near desiccation

Cite this Entry

“Desiccation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desiccation. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

desiccation

noun
des·​ic·​ca·​tion ˌdes-i-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce desiccation (audio)
: the act or process of desiccating or the state of being or becoming desiccated
especially : a complete or nearly complete deprivation of moisture (as by vaporization or by evaporation) or of water not chemically combined : dehydration
from the long-wave diathermy machine two distinct currents are obtained which produce desiccation and electrocoagulation respectively W. H. Schmidt
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