Meanings
present singular third person lyophilizes · participle present lyophilizing · participle past lyophilized · past lyophilized · alternative lyophilise
- Synonym of freeze-dry.
Lyophilization The process of vacuum-drying substances from the frozen state. The water is sublimated into a trap at low temperature or is absorbed by drying agents. Verb: lyophilize.
1894, United States Department of Agriculture, Crops in Peace and War: The Yearbook of Agriculture, U.S. G.P.O., page 907Synonyms: freeze-dry
Synonyms & antonyms
verbSynonym of freeze-dry.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekλύω“to loosen, to dissolve”
- Englishlyophilize
First use appears c. 1894 in the US. From Ancient Greek λύω (lúō, “to loosen, to dissolve”) + φίλος (phílos, “beloved”) + -ίζειν (-ízein); equivalent to lyo- + -phile + -ize. Compare hydrophilic (“water-absorbing”, literally “water-loving”) for use of -phile for “absorbing”. See lyophilization for more. Cognates exist in other European languages by means of the same construction.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan liofilitzar
- liofilitzarfreeze-dry
French lyophiliser
- lyophiliserfreeze-dry
German lyophilisieren
- lyophilisierenfreeze-dry
Italian liofilizzare
- liofilizzarefreeze-dry
Polish liofilizować, zliofilizować
- liofilizowaćfreeze-dry
- zliofilizowaćfreeze-dry
Spanish liofilizar
- liofilizarfreeze-dry
Cite this entry
lyophilize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lyophilize
“lyophilize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lyophilize. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lyophilize,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lyophilize.
Source: lyophilize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.