Depressurization

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of diminishing the internal pressure of a closed system often leads to alterations in the physical state or properties of contained gases
2. A reduction of pressure within a defined environment can induce changes in material integrity and operational functionality
3. The process of reducing the pressure within a system can result in modifications to the physical properties of gases and possibly affect material stability

Etymology: Depressurization is a plain technical formation, built in English from existing parts rather than borrowed from another language. The base is "pressurize," which means to maintain normal air pressure inside an enclosed space such as an aircraft cabin or a spacecraft, and "depressurize" is its reversal: the prefix "de-" removes or undoes the pressurizing. Adding the suffix "-ation," which turns a verb into a noun naming the process, gives the word its sense of the act or result of reducing internal pressure. The word's origin is therefore a matter of ordinary English word-building. Its parts are English or Latin in origin, and the same structure appears in many other technical nouns formed from "de-" plus a verb and "-ation." Its most common use is in aviation and spaceflight, where a sudden loss of cabin pressure is a serious hazard, though the term applies to any enclosed space whose internal pressure is lowered.

Synonyms: decompression, reduction of pressure

Antonyms: pressurization, compression