To remove salt from seawater or salt water, making it fresh water that can be used for drinking or irrigation.
From 'de-' (removal) plus 'saline' (salty), from Latin 'sal' (salt). The term emerged in the 20th century as desalination technology developed.
Desalination sounds like a modern invention, but humans have been trying it for centuries—now we can convert ocean water into fresh water at scale, which is becoming critical as freshwater supplies shrink.
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