efflorescence
- Noun. (chemistry) The formation of a powdery surface on crystals, as a hydrate is converted to anhydrous form by losing loosely bound water of crystallization to the atmosphere.
- Noun. (botany) The production of flowers.
- Noun. (construction) An encrustation of soluble salts, commonly white, deposited on the surface of stone, brick, plaster, or mortar; usually caused by free alkalies leached from mortar or adjacent concrete as moisture moves through it.
- Noun. (geology) An encrustation of soluble salts, deposited on rock or soil by evaporation; often found in arid or geothermal environments.
- Noun. (''metaphorical'') Rapid flowering of a culture or civilisation etc.
- Noun. (pathology) A redness, rash, or eruption on the skin.
This is an unmodified, but possibly outdated, definition from Wiktionary and used here under the Creative Commons license. Wiktionary is a great resource. If you like it too, please donate to Wikimedia.
This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.