condensation

IPA/ˌkɒndenˈseɪʃn/
KK[kˌɑndənsˈeʃən]IPA/ˌkɑːndenˈseɪʃn/

condensation — noun

1. tiny liquid beads that gather on a cool surface when warm air or steam gets cold

1.名詞B1
釋義

tiny liquid beads that gather on a cool surface when warm air or steam gets cold and changes back into water

例句

Maja wiped condensation off the bedroom window with a cloth every cold morning.

uncountable noun: no plural form

The cold glass of lemonade had condensation dripping down its sides on the hot day.

同義詞
  • moisture

    more general term for any small amount of water in the air or on a surface; condensation is a specific type of moisture

  • dew

    only used for outdoor condensation on grass or plants in the early morning

反義詞
  • evaporation

    the opposite process — liquid turning into gas rather than gas turning into liquid

文法句型

condensation + verb (forms / collects / appears)

用法筆記

Uncountable noun — do not use a plural form. Use 'drops of condensation' to refer to individual beads of water.

常見錯誤

There are condensations on the car window.
There is condensation on the car window.
💡Condensation is uncountable in this sense and does not take a plural form.

2. the scientific process by which a gas or vapor becomes a liquid, for example whe

2.名詞B2
釋義

the scientific process by which a gas or vapor becomes a liquid, for example when water vapor in the air cools down and turns into liquid water

例句

In the lab, Meera studied the condensation of water vapor into liquid droplets.

technical pattern: condensation of [substance] into [state]

Luca held a cold tray above a steaming beaker and watched condensation turn vapor into droplets.

scientific context: condensation + of/into for phase-change description

同義詞
  • liquefaction

    more technical and broader; can refer to turning any substance into a liquid, including solids

  • precipitation

    the result of condensation in the atmosphere; rain or snow that falls to the ground

反義詞
  • evaporation

    the change from liquid to gas at the surface of a liquid

  • vaporization

    the broader change from liquid or solid to gas or vapor

文法句型

condensation + of [substance] + into [state]

condensation + of [subument]

用法筆記

Used in scientific and technical contexts to describe the physical phase change. The opposite process is evaporation (liquid to gas) or sublimation (solid to gas). Frequently paired with 'of' to specify the substance undergoing the change.

常見錯誤

Condensation turns liquid into gas.
Condensation turns gas into liquid.
💡Learners often reverse the direction. Evaporation is liquid to gas; condensation is gas to liquid.

3. the act of expressing the same information from a text or speech in a much short

3.名詞C1
釋義

the act of expressing the same information from a text or speech in a much shorter way by keeping only the most important parts

例句

The editor wrote a condensation that shortened the report from fifty pages to just ten.

countable pattern: a condensation of [document]

Hassan prepared a condensation of the novel so new students could follow the main plot.

同義詞
  • summary

    more common in everyday use; a summary may only list main points, while a condensation keeps the original structure

  • digest

    a collection or magazine of shortened versions of longer works; often periodical

  • abridgment

    a shortened version of a book that keeps the original style and sequence of events

反義詞
  • expansion

    a version that adds more detail or explanation to an original text

  • full-length version

    the complete, unabridged form of a written work

文法句型

a + condensation + of + [document]

用法筆記

More formal than 'summary.' A condensation aims to preserve the original structure and tone while reducing length, whereas a summary simply lists the main points. Often used about books, reports, or speeches.

常見錯誤

The teacher asked the class to write a condensation of the short story.
The teacher asked the class to write a summary of the short story.
💡In everyday classroom settings, 'summary' sounds more natural. 'Condensation' is more formal and often refers to published shortened versions.