dehydration

[ dee-hahy-drey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act or process of dehydrating.
2. an abnormal loss of water from the body, especially from illness or physical exertion.

dehydration

/ dē′hī-drā′shən /

1. The process of losing or removing water or moisture.
2. A condition caused by the excessive loss of water from the body, which causes a rise in blood sodium levels. Since dehydration is most often caused by excessive sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea, water loss is usually accompanied by a deficiency of electrolytes. If untreated, severe dehydration can lead to shock.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dehydration¹

First recorded in 1850–55; dehydrate + -ion

Example Sentences

The miners experienced "starvation and dehydration" and were forced to resurface, police say.

From BBC

The result is often starvation, dehydration and death.

From Los Angeles Times

The CDC recommends calling your healthcare provider if you ate a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburger and have severe E. coli symptoms, including diarrhea and high fever, so much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down and signs of dehydration.

From Salon

The CDC recommends that anyone who recently ate a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and is suffering from severe E. coli symptoms — such as bloody diarrhea, a fever of more than 102 degrees, vomiting to the point of being unable to keep liquids down, or signs of dehydration — should contact a medical professional and their state’s health department.

From Los Angeles Times

"We've seen the effects of their starvation campaign, with high mortality rates - people are dying, not just from hunger, but from dehydration and disease, which often follows," he said.

From BBC

Related Words

• dispersal
• melting