deliquesce

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 2, 2007 is: deliquesce • \del-ih-KWESS\ • verb 1 : to dissolve or melt away 2 : to become soft or liquid with age or maturity -- used of some fungal structures (as the gills of a mushroom) Examples: Someone forgot to put the butter back in the refrigerator, instead leaving it to deliquesce on the kitchen counter. Did you know? "Deliquesce" derives from the prefix "de-" ("completely, away") and a form of the Latin verb "liquēre," meaning "to be fluid." Things that deliquesce, it could be said, turn to mush in more ways than one. In scientific contexts, a substance that deliquesces absorbs moisture from the atmosphere until it dissolves in the absorbed water and forms a solution. When plants and fungi deliquesce, they lose rigidity as they age. When "deliquesce" is used in non-scientific contexts, it is often in a figurative or humorous way to suggest the act of "melting away" under exhaustion, heat, or idleness, as in "teenagers deliquescing in 90-degree temperatures." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.