condensation

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The process in which a gas or vapor changes into a liquid.

   Grammar: Uncountable when talking about the process in general; countable when referring to a specific instance or result.

   Patterns

   • condensation of something
   • condensation forms
   • cause condensation

   Condensation happens when warm air meets a cold surface.

   The condensation of water vapor into clouds releases heat.

   You can see condensation on the outside of a glass of ice water.

2. 2noununcountable

   The liquid that forms when a gas cools and changes into drops.

   Grammar: Uncountable when referring to the liquid as a substance; countable when talking about separate patches or amounts.

   Patterns

   • wipe off condensation
   • condensation on something
   • a lot of condensation

   There was condensation on the bathroom mirror after my shower.

   She wiped the condensation from the car windshield.

   Condensation dripped from the air conditioner's pipes.

3. 3nouncountable or uncountableformal

   A shorter version of a piece of writing or speech, made by leaving out unnecessary words.

   Grammar: Often used with 'of' to show what has been shortened.

   Patterns

   • condensation of something
   • a condensation of a text

   The report is a condensation of a much longer study.

   He gave a condensation of the main points in five minutes.

Word forms

Common combinations

condensation forms

Condensation forms on cold surfaces when the air is humid.

wipe off condensation

He wiped off the condensation so he could see through the window.

condensation on the window

Condensation on the window made the room feel damp.

condensation reaction

In chemistry, a condensation reaction joins two molecules and releases water.

Synonyms and how they differ

condensate

Condensate refers to the actual liquid or solid produced, while condensation can mean the process or the liquid.

abridgment

Abridgment is a shortened version of a text, similar to condensation in the sense of shortening, but abridgment is more common for books.

Opposites

Word family

condense verb

To change from a gas to a liquid, or to make something shorter or denser.

condensate noun

The liquid or solid that forms from condensation.

condenser noun

A device that cools gas so it becomes liquid.

Commonly confused: condensation or condensate?

Practice

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