Is dehydrate the same as dry?

Not exactly. Dry is more general, while dehydrate means to remove water or lose too much water.

Is dehydrate used in medical English?

Yes. Doctors use it when the body loses too much water.

Is dehydrate formal or informal?

It is fairly formal and common in science, health, and food writing.

← Dictionary

dehydrate

/ˌdiːˈhaɪ.dreɪt/

IELTSAcademic

verb

To lose water, or to make something lose water. In medicine, it can mean causing the body to lose too much water.

Hot weather can dehydrate you quickly.
The machine dehydrates the food before packing.

Adinary Nuance

Dehydrate is more specific than dry. Dry means “remove moisture” or “become not wet,” but dehydrate focuses on water loss, especially in food, science, and health. It is also more formal than everyday phrases like “dry out.”

In other languages

Vietnamese: làm mất nước
Spanish: deshidratar
Chinese: 脱水
Japanese: 脱水させる
Korean: 탈수시키다

Etymology

From French déshydrater, from Greek hydor meaning “water,” with the prefix de- meaning “remove.” It entered English in the late 19th century.

Common phrases

dehydrated skindehydrated fooddehydrated patientdehydrate quickly

Synonyms

dry desiccate dessicate

Frequently asked questions

Is dehydrate the same as dry?: Not exactly. Dry is more general, while dehydrate means to remove water or lose too much water.
Is dehydrate used in medical English?: Yes. Doctors use it when the body loses too much water.
Is dehydrate formal or informal?: It is fairly formal and common in science, health, and food writing.