Desiccator

/ˈdɛsɪkeɪtər/ noun

Definition

A sealed container used in laboratories to keep substances dry by maintaining very low moisture levels.

Etymology

From Latin desiccator (one who dries), formed from desiccatus plus the agent noun suffix -or. The laboratory equipment became standard in chemistry by the early 20th century.

Kelly Says

A desiccator is basically a tiny desert in a box—chemists use it to store hygroscopic materials (things that suck moisture from air) so they can accurately measure their weights, because water weight ruins experiments.

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