dematerialize

English

WOTD – 9 November 2013
WOTD – 9 November 2014

Alternative forms

Etymology

From de- + materialize.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˌdiː.məˈtɪə.ɹɪ.ə.laɪz/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˌdi.məˈtɪɹ.i.ə.laɪz/
  • (file)
  • (file)

Verb

dematerialize (third-person singular simple present dematerializes, present participle dematerializing, simple past and past participle dematerialized)

  1. (intransitive) to disappear by becoming immaterial.
    • 2002, Piers Anthony, Ogre, Ogre, page 9:
      Nightmares were, after all, a type of demon; they could dematerialize in much the way Fiant did.
  2. (transitive) to cause something to disappear by becoming immaterial.
    • 2009, Etson White, Revelation of God, page 161:
      Some magicians claim they can dematerialize their bodies and re-materialize them in a different location.
  3. (transitive) to remove the physical materials from (a process, etc.)
    • 2013, Mike Friedrichsen, Wolfgang Mühl-Benninghaus, Handbook of Social Media Management
      Even though the book is still a difficult object to dematerialize and the paper books are not replaceable, the trend seems to be to prefer an e-book rather than a physical book []

Synonyms

Translations

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