THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20

Effloresce

[ef-lə-RESS]Part of speech: verb

Origin: latin, late 18th century

Reach an optimum stage of development; blossom.
(of a substance) lose moisture and turn to a fine powder on exposure to air.

Examples of Effloresce in a sentence

The song starts out slowly, but it will effloresce when you reach the chorus.
You must keep the package sealed until you’re ready to use it, because it will effloresce when opened.

About Effloresce

When you break this word down into its Latin roots, one definition becomes quite clear. The prefix “E” means out and “florescere” means begin to bloom. However, effloresce is not usually referring to literal blooming flowers, but it’s a more figurative description of something developing and coming into maturity or peak performance.

Did you Know?

When using the second definition here of effloresce, it has a specific chemical usage. When the substance effloresces upon contact with the air, it will produce salt particles. The word can also be used to describe rocks or brickwork with a salt content that can crystallize on the surface.