Solidate

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To cause a substance or mass to harden, thicken, or become firm and compact rather than remaining loose or fluid
2. To transform something soft, liquid, or scattered into a firm, unified, and dense mass over time
3. To bring together loose material so that it forms a hard, stable, and unbroken body

Etymology: "Solidate" is a fairly rare English verb meaning to make solid or to combine things into a firm, unified whole. It was borrowed from Latin "solidatus," the past participle of "solidare," which meant to make firm or whole. The Latin verb is itself rooted in "solidus," meaning solid, dense, or firm, the same root that gives English "solid." The word's kinship with two other English words is worth noticing. "Solder," the metal used to join pieces together, comes from the same Latin base, and "consolidate," to bring several things into one firm body, shares that ancestry too. Seen together, these words all carry the idea of making separate pieces hold as one, whether by melting metal into a joint or by merging parts into a single mass.

Synonyms: solidify, harden, congeal, stiffen, set

Antonyms: liquefy, melt, dissolve, soften, thaw