desalinate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Technical/Scientific/Formal
Quick answer
What does “desalinate” mean?
To remove salt from something, especially seawater, to make it suitable for drinking or irrigation.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To remove salt from something, especially seawater, to make it suitable for drinking or irrigation.
The technological process of purifying saline water for human consumption, agriculture, or industrial use, often through distillation or reverse osmosis.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term identically. 'Desalination' (the noun) is slightly more common than 'desalinate' (the verb) in both regions.
Connotations
Associated with environmental engineering, water scarcity solutions, and high-energy processes.
Frequency
Higher frequency in regions with water scarcity (Middle East, Australia, California, Spain).
Grammar
How to Use “desalinate” in a Sentence
[VN] The plant desalinates seawater.[V] The new technology can desalinate efficiently.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “desalinate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The government plans to desalinate seawater to combat the drought.
- Can this new system desalinate water using solar power?
American English
- California needs to desalinate more ocean water.
- The portable unit can desalinate enough water for a small village.
adverb
British English
- The water was processed desalinatingly in stages.
American English
- The plant operates desalinatingly around the clock.
adjective
British English
- The desalinated water is then remineralised.
- They tested the desalinated output for purity.
American English
- Desalinated water is pumped into the municipal system.
- The cost of desalinated water remains high.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The company invested in a new facility to desalinate seawater for the growing municipal demand.
Academic
Reverse osmosis membranes are commonly used to desalinate brackish groundwater in arid regions.
Everyday
Countries with little rainfall sometimes desalinate seawater to provide drinking water.
Technical
The multi-stage flash distillation plant can desalinate up to 50 million gallons per day.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “desalinate”
- Using 'desalinate' for removing salt from food (use 'rinse' or 'soak').
- Misspelling as 'desalinize' (acceptable but less common).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Desalinate' specifically means removing salt, especially from seawater. 'Purify' is broader and can mean removing any impurities, including dirt, chemicals, or bacteria.
No, it is almost exclusively used for water treatment. For food, you would say 'rinse off the salt' or 'soak to remove salt'.
The high energy cost and the environmental impact of the concentrated brine waste produced.
Rarely. It is a highly technical term. A figurative use might be: 'The diplomat tried to desalinate the tense negotiations,' meaning to remove the 'salt' (bitterness/anger).
To remove salt from something, especially seawater, to make it suitable for drinking or irrigation.
Desalinate is usually technical/scientific/formal in register.
Desalinate: in British English it is pronounced /diːˈsælɪneɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /diˈsæləˌneɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Turn the ocean into tap water”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DE-SALIN-ATE = Remove (DE) salt (SALIN) from something (ATE).
Conceptual Metaphor
WATER IS A RESOURCE TO BE MINED (we 'mine' freshwater from the sea).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'desalinate'?