Standard Lemma guide

hygroscopic

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /haɪɡɹəˈskɒpɪk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Readily taking up and retaining water, especially from the atmosphere.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: physical

Topics: biology, botany, chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hydrophilic

Antonyms: anhygroscopic, hydrophobic

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

absorbing moisture (as from the air)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From French hygroscopique.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: hygroskopický — readily taking up and retaining water
  • Finnish: hygroskooppinen — readily taking up and retaining water
  • French: hygroscopique — readily taking up and retaining water
  • German: hygroskop — readily taking up and retaining water
  • Hungarian: higroszkópos — readily taking up and retaining water
  • Icelandic: ídrægur — readily taking up and retaining water
  • Irish: tais-scópach — readily taking up and retaining water
  • Italian: igroscopico — readily taking up and retaining water
  • Polish: higroskopijny — readily taking up and retaining water
  • Portuguese: higroscópico — readily taking up and retaining water
  • Romanian: higroscopic — readily taking up and retaining water
  • Russian: гигроскопи́чный (gigroskopíčnyj) — readily taking up and retaining water
  • Spanish: higroscópico — readily taking up and retaining water
  • Tagalog: hulasin — readily taking up and retaining water