sublimation
nounEtymology From Middle English sublimacioun, sublimacion, from Medieval Latin sublīmātiō, from Latin sublīmō (“to raise, to elevate”, verb). Synchronically, sublimate + -ion.
1
Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences 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.
- 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 46:
2
Human sciences, Psychology, Sciences The transformation of an impulse into something socially constructive.
3
Elevation; exaltation; a making sublime.
- Derived terms
- desublimation, resublimation, sublimational, sublimation energy
- Related terms
- sublimate, sublimative