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

Sweat glands start releasing sweat if the temperature is too high to facilitate evaporation and heat loss. —Ruth Jessen Hickman, Md, Verywell Health, 15 Jan. 2025

Dry fuel is much easier and quicker to ignite than wet fuel, since the fire needs to expend less energy on evaporation. —Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025

When the air is warm and dry, transpiration and evaporation also suck water out of the plants and soil. —CBS News, 10 Jan. 2025

These higher water temperatures and a reduced ice cover enhance evaporation from the lake, increasing its snow effect. —Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025

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