n. A sudden slowing in the rate of temperature increase in a metal being heated, caused by endothermic structural changes and resulting in a darkening of the metal. [From DE- + Latin calēscere, to become warm, inchoative of calēre, to be warm; see kelə-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] de′ca·lescent adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.