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dulcify

/ˌdʌlsəˈfaɪ/
IPA guide

Other forms: dulcified; dulcifying

To make good lemonade, you can't just mix lemon juice and water; you have to dulcify it with the perfect amount of sugar to balance the bitterness and make it sweeter.

The word dulcify comes from the Latin word dulcis, meaning "sweet." When you dulcify something, you make it sweeter or more pleasant. While sugar can dulcify a tart glass of lemonade, kind words can dulcify a tense conversation, turning frustration into friendliness. For example, a coach's encouragement can dulcify the sting of a losing game, helping the players feel more positive. Similarly, a gentle lullaby can dulcify a cranky baby. It's a sophisticated way to describe softening or sweetening something.

Definitions of dulcify
  1. verb
    make sweeter in taste
    see moresee less
    types:
    honey
    sweeten with honey
    saccharify, sugar
    sweeten with sugar
    candy, glaze, sugarcoat
    coat with something sweet, such as a hard sugar glaze
    mull
    heat with sugar and spices to make a hot drink
    type of:
    change taste
    alter the flavor of
  2. verb
    soften someone's mood or make a situation more agreeable
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