Deliquesce

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  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"