evaporation

noun

evap·​o·​ra·​tion i-ˌva-pə-ˈrā-shən 

: the act or process of evaporating:

a

: change from a liquid to a vapor

evaporation of water

But warming increases the evaporation of ocean water, which could increase the snowfall on the Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets, remove water from the ocean, and lower sea level.

—Jack M. Hollander

b

: the vanishing or disappearance of something

The pope's attempt to arrest the evaporation of the Christian tradition in Europe was also unsuccessful.

—Conrad Black

No longer a machine that accelerates the evaporation of resources, in the Roman context the banquet becomes a theatre of wealth and property, of social distinction, or social-climbing.

—James N. Davidson

Examples of evaporation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Due to the extended aging process, which results in significant evaporation and lower barrel yields, supply is still very limited. —Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 14 Dec. 2024

Due to the extended aging process, which results in significant evaporation and lower barrel yields, supply is limited. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

For the purposes of the report, aridity was measured as a function of three variables: ambient rainfall, transpiration—or the rate at which water is transferred to the atmosphere via plants—and evaporation. —Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024

The magazine noted his leadership in a project to install solar panels over canals, which generates electricity and slows evaporation. —Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

evaporation

noun

evap·​o·​ra·​tion

i-ˌvap-ə-ˈrā-shən

: the process of evaporating

Medical Definition

evaporation

noun

evap·​o·​ra·​tion i-ˌvap-ə-ˈrā-shən 

: the change by which any substance is converted from a liquid state into and carried off in vapor

specifically : the conversion of a liquid into vapor in order to remove it wholly or partly from a liquid of higher boiling point or from solids dissolved in or mixed with it

evaporate

i-ˈvap-ə-ˌrāt 

verb

evaporated; evaporating

evaporator

-ˌrāt-ər 

noun