dehydrate

UK: ˌdiːhaɪˈdreɪt | US: ˌdiːhaɪˈdreɪt

Definition

  1. vt. to remove water or moisture from something

  2. vt. to lose water or bodily fluids (medical/biological context)

Structure
de <remove>hydr <water>ate <verb suffix>
Etymology

The word "dehydrate" combines three morphemes:

  1. "de-" (Latin origin, meaning "remove" or "reverse"),
  2. "hydr-" (from Greek "hydor," meaning "water"),
  3. "-ate" (a verb-forming suffix indicating action).
    The term emerged in scientific English (early 19th century) to describe the process of water removal, reflecting its Greek-Latin hybrid structure. The logic is straightforward: "de-" reverses the state of hydration ("hydr-"), making it a precise technical term.
Examples

  1. The sun can quickly dehydrate your skin if you don’t use moisturizer.

  2. Athletes must drink water regularly to avoid becoming dehydrated.

  3. Freeze-drying is a method to dehydrate food for long-term storage.

  4. Severe diarrhea can dehydrate infants dangerously fast.

  5. The museum uses silica gel to dehydrate the air inside display cases.