liquesce: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Extremely RareFormal, Technical, Literary
Quick answer
What does “liquesce” mean?
to become liquid or to melt.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to become liquid or to melt.
To transition from a solid or semi-solid state into a liquid state. Can be used figuratively to describe something becoming fluid, softened, or dissolving.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in usage or meaning. The word is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
May be perceived as slightly more archaic or poetic in British English, but this is a subtle distinction.
Frequency
Used so infrequently that regional frequency comparisons are not meaningful.
Grammar
How to Use “liquesce” in a Sentence
[Subject] liquesces.[Subject] liquesces into [liquid].[Agent] causes [subject] to liquesce.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “liquesce” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The glacier ice began to liquesce under the unseasonable heat.
- The specialist wax will liquesce at precisely 78 degrees Celsius.
American English
- The polymer will liquesce before it reforms into the mold.
- Under intense pressure, the rocks slowly liquesced.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Occasionally found in chemistry, physics, or geology texts to describe phase transitions.
Everyday
Not used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Used in specific scientific descriptions, particularly where precision or a formal tone is required.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “liquesce”
- Using it as a noun (e.g., 'the liquesce of the ice').
- Confusing it with 'deliquesce', which specifically means to become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air.
- Using it in informal contexts where 'melt' is expected.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is extremely rare. 'Melt' or 'liquefy' are far more common synonyms.
'Liquesce' means to become liquid, typically by heating. 'Deliquesce' is more specific: it means to become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air, as some salts do.
Yes, though this usage is literary. It can describe emotions, resolve, or boundaries becoming soft, fluid, or dissolving.
It is exclusively a verb (an intransitive verb).
to become liquid or to melt.
Liquesce is usually formal, technical, literary in register.
Liquesce: in British English it is pronounced /lɪˈkwɛs/, and in American English it is pronounced /lɪˈkwɛs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “N/A”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'LIQUid' and 'proCESs' – a liquid process = LIQUESCE.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOLIDITY IS STABILITY, LIQUIDITY IS CHANGE/INSTABILITY.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the verb 'liquesce' most appropriately used?