What does exsiccator mean?
An exsiccator is an apparatus designed to remove moisture from substances or to keep them dry. In its most familiar form, it is a laboratory vessel—typically a heavy glass container with an airtight lid—containing a drying agent such as silica gel or concentrated sulfuric acid. Chemists use it to cool and store hygroscopic materials that would otherwise absorb water from the atmosphere, and vacuum exsiccators allow drying to proceed even faster under reduced pressure. The word derives from the Latin exsiccare, meaning 'to dry out', and shares its root with the more common English verb 'desiccate'. Although largely superseded in everyday laboratory speech by the synonym 'desiccator', the term persists in classical chemical literature and in technical writing. Its register is distinctly formal and scientific, making it a precise and evocative choice whenever the emphasis falls on thorough, controlled drying.
nounAn apparatus or vessel used to dry substances or to keep them free of moisture; a desiccator.
- A sealed vessel containing a drying agent (such as silica gel) used in laboratories to dry substances or keep them moisture-free.
- Any apparatus or device used for drying substances.
"The chemist placed the freshly distilled crystals in the exsiccator overnight to ensure they were completely dry."
"Store the hygroscopic compound in the exsiccator so it does not absorb moisture from the air."
"The samples were transferred to an exsiccator and left under vacuum until their weight stabilized."
Regular plural formation; standard in technical writing when referring to multiple drying vessels.
"Both exsiccators were charged with fresh silica gel before the experiment began."
Before modern lab equipment had catchy names, scientists simply borrowed Latin: an 'exsiccator' is literally a thing that makes things thoroughly dry.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exsiccator
Exsiccator comes from the Latin verb exsiccare, formed from ex- ('out') and siccare ('to dry'), itself derived from siccus ('dry'). The word entered scientific English in the 19th century, when chemists coined agent nouns from Latin verbs for laboratory apparatus. It belongs to the same family as 'desiccate' (via Latin desiccare), 'siccative' (a substance that promotes drying), and the rare English verb 'exsiccate'.
Word family
Usage notes
A formal, technical term used mainly in laboratory chemistry and related sciences. In everyday usage, the synonymous term 'desiccator' is far more common; 'exsiccator' tends to appear in older or more traditional scientific texts.
Don't confuse with
An exsiccator dries things by removing moisture, whereas an exsanguinator drains blood from a body.