DECREPITATE

decrepitate

(verb) to roast or calcine so as to cause to crackle or until crackling stops; “decrepitate salts”

decrepitate

(verb) undergo decrepitation and crackle; “The salt decrepitated”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

decrepitate (third-person singular simple present decrepitates, present participle decrepitating, simple past and past participle decrepitated)

(transitive) To roast (a salt or mineral) until it stops crackling in the fire.

(intransitive) Of salts and minerals, to crackle when heated, indicating a sudden breakdown of their particles.

Source: Wiktionary

De*crep"i*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Decrepitated; p. pr. & vb. n. Decrepitating.] Etym: [Cf. F. décrépiter.]

Definition: To roast or calcine so as to cause a crackling noise; as, to decrepitate salt.

De*crep"i*tate, v. i.

Definition: To crackle, as salt in roasting.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition