Deliquesce
/ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛs/noun
To melt, dissolve, or become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air.
Did you know?Deliquesce comes from Latin roots tied to “melting away,” and it was used in alchemy and chemistry for substances that seemed to liquefy almost magically in damp air.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
dēliquēscere
“to melt away, liquefy, or become fluid”
Late Latin
Latin
dēliquēscēns
“becoming liquid; dissolving”
17th Century
English
deliquesce
“to melt or dissolve, especially by absorbing moisture”
Modern English
English
deliquesce
“to become liquid or dissolve gradually”