congelation n : the process of congealing; solidification by (or as if by) freezing [syn: congealment]

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪʃǝn

Noun

1. The act or process of passing, or causing to pass, from a fluid to a solid state, as by the abstraction of heat; the act or process of freezing.
2. The state of being congealed.
3. That which is congealed.

Congelation is the process by which something congeals, or thickens. This increase in viscosity can be achieved through a reduction in temperature or through chemical reactions. Sometimes the increase in viscosity is great enough to crystallize or solidify the substance in question.

In alchemy, congelation is one of the 12 vital processes for transformation to occur.