Solidifies

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Changes from a liquid or soft state to a firm or solid form by cooling or drying ; causes a substance or material to become hard or set into a firm state
2. Undergoes the process of stiffening into a solid mass ; brings about the hardening or congealing of a material or object
3. Transforms into a rigid or compact state usually by loss of heat or moisture ; effects the transition of a fluid or soft matter into a solid condition

Etymology: "Solidifies" is the third-person singular present form of "solidify," so it describes something becoming solid over time, as when cooling wax or setting concrete hardens. The base verb was borrowed from French "solidifier," and it is built from "solid" with the suffix "-ify," which comes from Latin "-ficare," meaning "to make." Put together, the verb literally means "to make solid." Both parts have long histories of their own. "Solid" traces back through Old French to Latin "solidus," meaning firm or whole, and the Latin word was also the name of a Roman gold coin. The "-ify" ending entered English through French and was used to form many verbs, such as "simplify" and "purify," following the same pattern.

Synonyms: hardens, coagulates, congeals, sets, firms

Antonyms: liquefies, dissolves, melts, softens, weakens