passivate

verb

pas·​siv·​ate ˈpa-si-ˌvāt How to pronounce passivate (audio)
passivated; passivating

transitive verb

1
: to make inactive or less reactive
passivate the surface of steel by chemical treatment
2
: to protect (something, such as a solid-state device) against contamination by coating or surface treatment
passivation noun

Examples of passivate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Engineers had mastered the technical steps of making silicon wafers, diffusing diode junctions, applying metal grids to the solar-cell surfaces, passivating the semiconductor surface to add an antireflective coating, and laminating modules. David Fork, IEEE Spectrum, 28 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'passivate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of passivate was in 1913

Dictionary Entries Near passivate

Cite this Entry

“Passivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passivate. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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