Meaning & use
efflorescence
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The gradual process of developing or coming into full bloom, often used figuratively for a flourishing of talent, culture, or activity.
See it in a sentence
The city experienced an efflorescence of art and music in the years after the war.
Chemists also use the word for the powdery deposit that forms on stone as moisture evaporates.
A note on using this word
A formal, somewhat literary word; in chemistry and geology it has a specific technical meaning describing salt deposits on surfaces.
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. noun
A powdery crust that forms on the surface of rock, brick, or soil as water evaporates and leaves salts behind.
Efflorescence appeared on the basement wall after the flood.
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