volatilize

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to cause a substance to become vapor, or to pass off as vapor

   Intense heat can volatilize mercury and release it into the air.

2. 2
   verb

   figurative and rare: to make something insubstantial or cause it to dissipate

   The unexpected evidence seemed to volatilize their confidence in the theory.

Formed from volatile + -ize. Volatile comes through French from Latin volatilis, 'flying,' from volare, 'to fly.' Chemistry extended the image to substances that readily fly off as vapor; volatilize names the process of making or becoming vaporous.

Topics