Condensation
ˌkɒn.dənˈseɪ.ʃən
Definitions
2 meaningsThe process by which a gas or vapor turns into a liquid; the liquid that is formed.
ˌkɒn.dənˈseɪ.ʃən
The process of a gas or vapor changing into a liquid.
The condensation on the bathroom mirror after a hot shower made it difficult to see.
💡 Simply: Imagine you have a cold drink and tiny water droplets appear on the outside of the glass. That's condensation! It's when the warm, invisible water in the air turns into tiny liquid droplets when it touches something cold.
👶 For kids: When water in the air turns into a liquid, like when you see water drops on a cold window.
More Examples
Water condensation is often observed on the outside of cold drinks on a hot day.
The scientist studied the process of condensation in a controlled environment.
How It's Used
"The condensation on the cold glass of iced tea made it slippery."
"Condensation is a key process in the formation of clouds."
The act or process of making something more concise; a shortened version of a longer work.
ˌkɒn.dənˈseɪ.ʃən
The act of making something more compact or concise.
The committee provided a condensation of the research findings for the general public.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're writing a really long story, but then you make it shorter by only keeping the most important parts. That's a condensation – a shorter, more compact version.
👶 For kids: Making something shorter, like making a long story into a short summary.
More Examples
The professor asked the students to write a condensation of the philosophical text.
A condensation of the novel was provided in the study guide.
How It's Used
"The editor requested a condensation of the lengthy report to make it more accessible."
"A condensation of the major themes of the novel was provided in the preface."
From Late Latin *condensationem*, from *condensare* 'to make dense,' from *con-* 'together' + *densare* 'to thicken,' from *densus* 'thick'.
The term 'condensation' has been used since the late 17th century, primarily in scientific contexts to describe the transformation of vapor into liquid. It gradually extended to literary contexts describing summarization.
Memory tip
Think of water vapor *condensing* on a cold glass – it *condenses* into liquid water.