humectation

humectation

English

Etymology

Latin humectatio: compare French humectation.

Noun

humectation (countable and uncountable, plural humectations)

1. A moistening.
   • 1649, Ambrose Parey, Thomas Johnson (trans.), The Workes of that Famous Chirurgion Ambrose Parey, page 55, London: Richard Cotes and Willi Du-gard OCLC 13170477

     The cure of such an effect must be performed by two means, that is, evacuation and cooling with humectation.

   • 1658, Sir Thomas Brown, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, London: Edward Dod OCLC 216753971

     That which is concreted by exsiccation or expression of humidity, will be resolved by humectification, as earth, dirt and clay.

   • 1730, Francis Bacon, The Works of Francis Bacon, volume 3, page 180, London: Impensis R. OCLC 13621903

     It hath been observed by the ancients, that plates of metal, and especially of brass, applied presently to a blow, will keep it down from swelling. The cause is repercussion, without humectiation, or entrance of any body.

   • 2005, M. Ghrab, K. Gargouri, M. Ayadi, H. Bentaher, "Water saving in olive orchids: root-zone drying strategy", p. 36, in A. Bari (ed), Assessment of Plant Genetic Resources for Water-use Efficiency, Bioversity International →ISBN.

     Thereafter, humectation of soil was recorded in the autumn, following rains.

   • 2009 Steve Capellini, The Complete Spa Book for Massage Therapists, Cengage Learning, →ISBN.

     Emollients are useful in spa services because of their three main properties: occlusion, lubrication, and humectation.

   • 2011, Boyd, Samuel; Gutierrez, Angela Maria; McCulley, James P., Atlas and Text of Corneal Pathology and Surgery, Jaypee Brothers, 2011 →ISBN.

     Substitutive treatment (artificial tears) is the most useful medication. It tries to recover for a short time the humectation, osmolarity and lubrication of the ocular surface, although the etiologic causes persist.

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for humectation in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.)

Translations

A moistening

Bulgarian: овлажняване (bg) n (ovlažnjavane)