dehydrative
|de-hy-dra-tive|
/ˌdiːˈhaɪdrətɪv/
remove water
Etymology
'dehydrative' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the verb 'dehydrate' plus the adjective-forming suffix '-ive', where the prefix 'de-' meant 'removal' (from Latin 'de-') and the root 'hydr-' ultimately comes from Greek 'hydōr' meaning 'water'.
'dehydrative' developed from the English verb 'dehydrate', which itself was modeled on French 'déshydrater' (via Modern French/Modern Latin formations) and ultimately traces back to Greek 'hydōr' ('water'); the addition of English suffix '-ive' produced the adjective form 'dehydrative'.
Initially the root 'dehydrate' meant 'to remove water'; over time the adjective form 'dehydrative' came to mean 'causing or relating to the removal of water' and is used descriptively in scientific and medical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
causing or tending to cause the loss of water (from a body, tissue, or substance); drying or desiccating.
Prolonged sun exposure can have a dehydrative effect on young seedlings.
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Adjective 2
relating to or characteristic of the process of dehydration (used in medical, chemical, or technical contexts).
The dehydrative step in the protocol must be carefully monitored to preserve sample integrity.
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Last updated: 2025/09/08 08:41