Meanings
plural sublimations
- countableuncountablechemistryThe transition of a substance from the solid phase directly to the vapor state such that it does not pass through the intermediate liquid phase.First known use late 14th c.
1 more example
It uses dry ice pellets (capsules of frozen carbon dioxide), blown at supersonic speed onto the railhead through a small nozzle. Any leaf contamination on the line is frozen, becoming brittle. The pellets then change instantly from solid to gas without going through a liquid stage (a process known as sublimation).
2023 September 20, Tom Ingall, “Freezing the leaves off the line”, in RAIL, number 992, page 46Antonyms: deposition
- countableuncountablehuman sciencesThe transformation of an impulse into something socially constructive.First known use 20th c.
- countableuncountableElevation; exaltation; a making sublime.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe transition of a substance from the solid phase directly to the vapor state such that it does not pass through the intermediate liquid phase.
Origin
- Latinsublīmō“to raise, to elevate”
- Medieval Latinsublīmātiō
- Middle Englishsublimacioun
- Englishsublimation
From Middle English sublimacioun, sublimacion, from Medieval Latin sublīmātiō, from Latin sublīmō (“to raise, to elevate”, verb). Synchronically, sublimate + -ion.
More words from Middle English, Medieval Latin, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian сублима́ция
- сублима́ция (sublimácija)phase transition
Catalan sublimació, sublimació
- sublimacióphase transition
- sublimaciótransformation of an impulse
Chinese Mandarin 升華 /升华
- 升華 /升华 (shēnghuá)phase transition
Czech sublimace, sublimace
- sublimacephase transition
- sublimacetransformation of an impulse
Dutch vervluchtigen
- vervluchtigenphase transition
Finnish sublimoituminen, sublimointi
- sublimoituminenphase transition
- sublimointiphase transition
- sublimoituminentransformation of an impulse
French sublimation
- sublimationphase transition
German Sublimierung, Sublimation
- Sublimierungphase transition
- Sublimationphase transition
- Sublimierungtransformation of an impulse
- Sublimationtransformation of an impulse
Greek εξάχνωση, μετουσίωση
- εξάχνωση (exáchnosi)phase transition
- μετουσίωση (metousíosi)transformation of an impulse
Hindi उर्ध्वपातन
- उर्ध्वपातन (urdhvapātan)phase transition
Icelandic þurrgufun, göfgun
- þurrgufunphase transition
- göfguntransformation of an impulse
Indonesian sublimasi, sublimasi
- sublimasiphase transition
- sublimasitransformation of an impulse
Italian sublimazione, sublimazione
- sublimazionephase transition
- sublimazionetransformation of an impulse
Japanese 昇華
- 昇華 (shōka)phase transition
Korean 승화
- 승화 (seunghwa)phase transition
Malay pemejalwapan
- pemejalwapanphase transition
Māori whāhaurehutanga
- whāhaurehutangaphase transition
Polish sublimacja, sublimacja
- sublimacjaphase transition
- sublimacjatransformation of an impulse
Portuguese sublimação, sublimação
- sublimaçãophase transition
- sublimaçãotransformation of an impulse
Russian сублима́ция, возгонка
- сублима́ция (sublimácija)phase transition
- возгонка (vozgonka)phase transition
- сублима́ция (sublimácija)transformation of an impulse
Spanish sublimación
- sublimaciónphase transition
Swedish sublimering, sublimation
- sublimeringphase transition
- sublimationphase transition
- sublimeringtransformation of an impulse
Tagalog lakdasingaw, lakdawsingaw
- lakdasingawphase transition
- lakdawsingawphase transition
- alimphase transition
- alobphase transition
Turkish yüceltme
- yüceltmetransformation of an impulse
Ukrainian субліма́ція, субліма́ція
- субліма́ція (sublimácija)phase transition
- субліма́ція (sublimácija)transformation of an impulse
Vietnamese thăng hoa
- thăng hoaphase transition
Cite this entry
sublimation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sublimation
“sublimation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sublimation. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sublimation,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sublimation.
Source: sublimation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.