DESICCATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does desiccate mean? 

• DESICCATE (adjective)
  The adjective DESICCATE has 1 sense:

1. lacking vitality or spirit; lifeless

  Familiarity information: DESICCATE used as an adjective is very rare.

• DESICCATE (verb)
  The verb DESICCATE has 3 senses:

1. preserve by removing all water and liquids from

2. remove water from

3. lose water or moisture

  Familiarity information: DESICCATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DESICCATE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lacking vitality or spirit; lifeless

Synonyms:

arid; desiccate; desiccated

Context example:

a prissy and emotionless creature...settles into a mold of desiccated snobbery

Similar:

dull (lacking in liveliness or animation)

• DESICCATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they desiccate    ... he / she / it desiccates   
Past simple: desiccated   
Past participle: desiccated   
-ing form: desiccating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Preserve by removing all water and liquids from

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

dehydrate; desiccate

Context example:

carry dehydrated food on your camping trip

Hypernyms (to "desiccate" is one way to...):

keep; preserve (prevent (food) from rotting)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

desiccation (the process of extracting moisture)

desiccation (dryness resulting from the removal of water)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Remove water from

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

dehydrate; desiccate

Context example:

All this exercise and sweating has dehydrated me

Hypernyms (to "desiccate" is one way to...):

dry; dry out (remove the moisture from and make dry)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

desiccation (the process of extracting moisture)

desiccation (dryness resulting from the removal of water)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Lose water or moisture

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

dehydrate; desiccate; dry up; exsiccate

Context example:

In the desert, you get dehydrated very quickly

Hypernyms (to "desiccate" is one way to...):

dry; dry out (remove the moisture from and make dry)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

desiccant (a substance that promotes drying (e.g., calcium oxide absorbs water and is used to remove moisture))

desiccation (dryness resulting from the removal of water)

 Context examples 

A Chinese herb of a desiccated root from the plant Coptis chinensis.

(Huang Lian, NCI Thesaurus)