solidification

[ suh-lid-uh-fi-key-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act or process of becoming a hard or compact mass, or of changing from a liquid or gaseous state to a solid state:

   Magma and lava undergo solidification under different conditions, and, as a result, form rocks with different characteristics.

2. the act or process of unifying or coming together:

   There has been some consolidation and solidification in political parties at the national level, but participation in regional level politics has been in decline.

3. the act or process of becoming significant, substantial, or real:

   The orchestra's solidification as an American institution took place in the late 1930s under the direction of Maestro Otto Klemperer.

   It is scientifically documented that the solidification of false memories is very much impacted by repetition.

4. the act or process of encapsulating hazardous waste within a solid substance in order to prevent leaching or contamination of surrounding materials:

   The most frequently used waste-disposal technologies are incineration, solidification and stabilization, and pump-and-treat technologies for groundwater.

Other Words From

• non·so·lid·i·fi·ca·tion noun
• o·ver·so·lid·i·fi·ca·tion noun
• re·so·lid·i·fi·ca·tion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of solidification¹

First recorded in 1780–90; from French, equivalent to solid ( def ) + -i- ( def ) + -fication ( def )

Example Sentences

Upon solidification, a phase separation into a pure solvent, here ice, and a solute and particles occurs, with the ice templating the solute/particle phase.

From Science Daily

These new results suggest the mechanism driving Earth's early dynamo was similarly efficient to the solidification process that generates Earth's magnetic field today.

From Science Daily

The Supreme Court declined to take up a different challenge to the ruling in 2019, before the solidification of its current conservative majority.

From Seattle Times

Regardless of the exact recipe, the fundamental ice crystal formation, fat solidification and serum phase separation steps are the same.

From Salon

They have proposed long-term storage of the water by solidification, as used at the Savannah River waste repository in the U.S.

From Seattle Times