Overdried

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A condition resulting from the removal of moisture to such an extent that it leads to brittleness and potential degradation of the material
2. Having lost so much moisture that the item becomes overly brittle and may be damaged
3. Describes something that was dried too much, resulting in an undesirable change in texture or quality

Etymology: "Overdried" is built from the prefix "over-" and the verb "dry," and it is the past tense and past participle of "overdry." The prefix "over-" is an Old English element meaning "above" or "excessively," as in "overcook" or "overwork," so the word simply means that something has been dried beyond the point intended. The base "dry" comes from Old English "drigan," and the sense of removing moisture has been central to it from the start. Attaching "over-" to a verb is a productive English pattern, which is why "overdry" could be formed freely from familiar parts whenever a speaker needed to describe excessive drying.

Synonyms: desiccated, dehydrated, dried out, parched, shriveled

Antonyms: moist, wet, hydrated, fresh, damp