saturated
UK: ˈsætʃəreɪtɪd | US: ˈsætʃəreɪtɪd
adj. 1. Soaked or thoroughly filled with a substance to the point where no more can be absorbed or dissolved.
adj. 2. (Of color) Very intense or vivid.
vt. 3. To cause a substance to absorb or dissolve the maximum amount of another substance.
The word "saturated" traces back to the Latin saturatus, derived from satur (full, sated). The root satur reflects the idea of fullness or completeness, often linked to food or liquids. The suffix -ate marks it as a verb (e.g., "to saturate"), while -ed converts it into an adjective or past participle. Over time, the term expanded from literal fullness (e.g., soaked cloth) to figurative intensity (e.g., saturated colors) and scientific contexts (e.g., saturated solutions).
The sponge was completely saturated with water.
The artist used saturated hues to create a vibrant painting.
The market is saturated with similar products, making competition fierce.
Heavy rain saturated the soil, causing flooding.
Chemists study how gases become saturated in liquids under pressure.