sublimation

The story

1. Latin · derived fromsublīmō“to raise, to elevate”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromsublīmātiō
3. Middle English · inherited fromsublimacioun
4. English todaysublimation

From Middle English sublimacioun, sublimacion, from Medieval Latin sublīmātiō, from Latin sublīmō (“to raise, to elevate”, verb). Synchronically, sublimate + -ion.

First known use, by meaning

• from late 14th c. The transition of a substance from the solid phase directly to the vapor state such that it does not pass through the intermediate liquid phase.
• from 20th c. The transformation of an impulse into something socially constructive.