Etymology

sublimate

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Today it means: To change (a solid substance) into a gas without breaking down or passing through the liquid state by heating it gently. Full definition →

First used 16th c.Middle English sublymate ← Latin sublīmātus
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromsublīmātus
  2. Middle English · inherited fromsublymate
  3. English todaysublimate

From Middle English sublymate, from Latin sublīmātus, past participle of sublīmāre (“to raise, elevate”).

Words from the same roots

Latinsublīmātus all →

sublimatory

First known use, by meaning

  • from 16th c. To change (a solid substance) into a gas without breaking down or passing through the liquid state by heating it gently.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.