n.
Pronunciation: s ə - ' bl ī m
Function: verb
Inflected Form: sub · limed ; sub · lim · ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French sublimer, from Medieval Latin sublimare to refine, sublime, from Latin, to elevate, from sublimis
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 : to cause to pass directly from the solid to the vapor state and condense back to solid form
2 [French sublimer, from Latin sublimare ] a (1) : to elevate or exalt especially in dignity or honor (2) : to render finer (as in purity or excellence) b : to convert (something inferior) into something of higher worth
intransitive verb : to pass directly from the solid to the vapor state
– sub · lim · able \ - ' bl ī -m ə -b ə l \ adjective
– sub · lim · er noun