What does liquesce mean?
Liquesce means to become liquid, normally as the result of heating. A substance such as wax, ice, or metal may liquefce when its temperature rises sufficiently, although “melt” is the usual everyday word for this process. The verb is more common in formal, scientific, and technical contexts than in ordinary conversation, and it can also describe substances that become fluid when mixed with a solvent. Liquesce is intransitive: it describes the substance changing state, whereas a related verb such as “liquefy” may describe either that change or the action of causing it. The word is useful when precision matters, particularly in descriptions of chemistry, manufacturing, cooking, and changes in material consistency.
verbTo become liquid, especially as a result of heating; to melt.
- To become liquid, especially by heating; to melt.
"The wax gradually liquefies as the candle flame draws closer."
"Ice liquesces when the temperature rises above its melting point."
"The powdered substance liquefies when the solvent is added."
Liquesce is to become liquid what congeal is to become solid.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does liquesce come from?
The word comes from Latin liquefacere, meaning “to make liquid,” formed from liquere, “to be liquid or fluid.” English borrowed the verb in the early 19th century in scientific contexts, when Latin-derived terminology was widely used to describe changes of physical state. Its relatives include liquefy, liquefaction, liquid, and liquor, all associated with the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How liquesce is actually used
This is a formal or technical verb. In everyday use, “melt” is much more common, though “liquesce” can be especially appropriate for a substance changing from a solid or highly viscous state into a fluid.