What does desiccator mean?
A desiccator is a sealed container designed to exclude atmospheric moisture, most commonly encountered in laboratories. Typically made of glass or plastic, it contains a desiccant — a hygroscopic substance such as silica gel, calcium chloride, or phosphorus pentoxide — that absorbs water vapour from the air inside. Chemists use desiccators to cool freshly heated samples without letting them reabsorb moisture, to store hygroscopic chemicals, and to dry materials gradually at room temperature. Some designs allow a vacuum to be drawn inside, speeding up the removal of volatile solvents. The word derives from the Latin desiccare, 'to dry thoroughly', via the verb desiccate. Although essentially technical, the term appears wherever careful control of humidity matters, from analytical chemistry and pharmaceutical manufacturing to the preservation of museum specimens. Knowing it signals familiarity with precise laboratory practice, where even trace moisture can compromise results.
nounA desiccator is a sealed container, typically used in laboratories, that holds a drying agent such as silica gel to remove moisture from substances or keep them dry.
- A sealed laboratory vessel containing a drying agent (such as silica gel or calcium chloride), used to dry substances or maintain them in a moisture-free state.
"The chemist stored the anhydrous compound in a desiccator overnight to protect it from atmospheric moisture."
"After cooling, the crucible was placed in a desiccator to prevent it from reabsorbing moisture before weighing."
"Keep the reference standards in a vacuum desiccator between uses to preserve their accuracy."
Standard plural; used when referring to multiple containers or different types of desiccators.
"All of the desiccators in the lab were refilled with fresh silica gel this week."
Every time you open a desiccator, you let moisture rush in — which is why chemists crack it slowly and why some labs weigh their samples within seconds of lifting the lid.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of desiccator
Desiccator comes from the Latin verb desiccare, meaning 'to dry up completely', formed from de- ('thoroughly, away') and siccare ('to dry'), itself from siccus ('dry'). The word entered English in the nineteenth century as laboratory practice formalised, alongside related terms such as desiccate, desiccation, and desiccant. Its root also gives English words like siccative, describing a substance that promotes drying, notably in paints and varnishes.
Related word forms
How desiccator is actually used
Desiccator is primarily a technical term used in chemistry, materials science, pharmacy, and related laboratory disciplines. It is neutral in tone but unfamiliar outside scientific contexts; in everyday settings speakers are more likely to say 'dry box' or simply describe keeping something 'in a sealed container with silica gel'. Desiccators may be simple glass vessels with a ground-glass lid or sophisticated vacuum and glovebox-style systems.
Easily confused with desiccator
A desiccant is the drying agent itself (such as silica gel), whereas a desiccator is the container in which desiccant and samples are placed.