v., -tat·ed, -tat·ing, -tates. v.tr.
To roast or calcine (crystals or salts) until they emit a crackling sound or until crackling stops.
v.intr.
To make a crackling sound when roasted.
[New Latin dēcrepitāre, dēcrepitāt- : Latin dē-, de- + Latin crepitāre, to crackle, frequentative of crepāre, to burst, crack.]
decrepitation de·crep'i·ta'tion n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
