Deliquesce \Del`i*quesce"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Deliquesced;
p. pr. & vb. n. Deliquescing.] [L. deliquescere to melt,
dissolve; de- + liquescere to become fluid, melt, fr. liquere
to be fluid. See Liquid.] (Chem.)
To dissolve gradually and become liquid by attracting and
absorbing moisture from the air, as certain salts, acids, and
alkalies.
In very moist air crystals of strontites deliquesce.
--Black.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
deliquesce
v 1: melt away in the process of decay; "The fungi eventually
deliquesced"
2: melt or become liquid by absorbig moisture from the air;
"this type of salt deliquesces easily"
WordNet (r) 2.0
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