condense
UK[kənˈdɛns]US[kənˈdɛns]
v
To make something shorter or smaller, especially a piece of writing or speech.
v
To change from a gas into a liquid.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
dense
con
together
dense
thick
Etymology
The word condense originates from the Latin verb condensare, meaning "to make thick or dense." This verb itself is a compound of the intensive prefix con- (together, thoroughly) and the adjective densus (thick, compact). The literal sense of "pressing particles closely together" provides a clear physical logic for its modern meanings. From this core idea of increasing density, the meaning naturally extended to the scientific process of a gas turning into a denser liquid, and metaphorically to the act of making written or spoken material more compact by removing less essential parts.
Analysis
Structure: con (together) + dense (thick)
- con: A prefix from Latin, meaning "together" or "completely." It functions as an intensifier in this word.
- dense: From Latin densus, meaning "thick, close, compact." It forms the core semantic root of the word.
Examples
The editor asked me to condense the twenty-page report into a two-page summary.
As the warm, moist air rose, it began to condense into tiny droplets, forming clouds.
The professor has a remarkable ability to condense complex philosophical ideas into simple, memorable phrases.