sublimate
UK: ˈsʌblɪmeɪt | US: ˈsʌblɪmeɪt
vt. to divert or refine (primitive impulses or energy) into culturally higher or socially more acceptable forms
vt. (chemistry) to transform a solid directly into a vapor without passing through the liquid state
n. (chemistry) a solid deposit resulting from sublimation
Derived from Latin sublimare ("to elevate"), combining sub- (under, up to) + limen (threshold, boundary). The term originally described the alchemical process of purifying a substance by heating it to vapor, metaphorically "lifting" it beyond its base form. Over time, it acquired psychological and chemical meanings, reflecting transformation or refinement—whether of impulses (psychology) or matter (chemistry).
Artists often sublimate their emotions into creative works.
Dry ice sublimes directly from a solid to a gas.
Freud discussed how humans sublimate primal urges into productive activities.
The chemist observed iodine crystals sublimate under reduced pressure.
Her anger was sublimated into a fierce determination to succeed.