saturated

adjective

1. soaked, impregnated, or imbued thoroughly; charged thoroughly or completely; brought to a state of saturation.
2. (of colors) of maximum chroma or purity; of the highest intensity of hue; free from admixture of white.
3. Chemistry.
   1. (of a solution) containing the maximum amount of solute capable of being dissolved under given conditions.
   2. (of an organic compound) containing no double or triple bonds; having each single bond attached to an atom or group.
   3. (of an inorganic compound) having no free valence electrons.

verb (used with object), sat·u·rat·ed, sat·u·rat·ing.

1. to cause (a substance) to unite with the greatest possible amount of another substance, through solution, chemical combination, or the like.
2. to charge to the utmost, as with magnetism.
3. to soak, impregnate, or imbue thoroughly or completely: to saturate a sponge with water; a town saturated with charm.
4. to destroy (a target) completely with bombs and missiles.
5. to send so many planes over (a target area) that the defensive electronic tracking equipment becomes ineffective.
6. to furnish (a market) with goods to its full purchasing capacity.

verb (used without object), sat·u·rat·ed, sat·u·rat·ing.

7. to become saturated.

adjective

8. saturated.

noun

9. a saturated fat or fatty acid.

adjective

1. (of a solution or solvent) containing the maximum amount of solute that can normally be dissolved at a given temperature and pressureSee also supersaturated
2. (of a colour) having a large degree of saturation
3. (of a chemical compound)
   1. containing no multiple bonds and thus being incapable of undergoing additional reactionsa saturated hydrocarbon
   2. containing no unpaired valence electrons
4. (of a fat, esp an animal fat) containing a high proportion of fatty acids having single bondsSee also polyunsaturated, unsaturated
5. (of a vapour) containing the equilibrium amount of gaseous material at a given temperature and pressureSee also supersaturated
6. (of a magnetic material) fully magnetized
7. extremely wet; soaked

verb (ˈsætʃəˌreɪt)

1. to fill, soak, or imbue totally
2. to make (a chemical compound, vapour, solution, magnetic material, etc) saturated or (of a compound, vapour, etc) to become saturated
3. (tr) military to bomb or shell heavily

adjective (ˈsætʃərɪt, -ˌreɪt)

4. a less common word for saturated

v.1530s, “to satisfy, satiate,” from Latin saturatus, past participle of saturare “to fill full, sate, drench,” from satur “sated, full,” from PIE root *sa- “to satisfy” (see sad). Meaning “soak thoroughly” first recorded 1756. Marketing sense first recorded 1958. Related: Saturated; saturating. adj.

1. Unable to hold or contain more; full.
2. Soaked with moisture; drenched.
3. Combined with or containing all the solute that can normally be dissolved at a given temperature.
4. Having all available valence bonds filled. Used especially of organic compounds.

v.

1. To imbue or impregnate thoroughly.
2. To soak, fill, or load to capacity.
3. To cause a substance to unite with the greatest possible amount of another substance.
4. To satisfy all the chemical affinities of a substance; neutralize.
5. To dissolve a substance up to that concentration beyond which the addition of more results in a second phase.

1. Relating to an organic compound in which all the carbon atoms are joined by single bonds and therefore cannot be combined with any additional atoms or radicals. Propane and cyclopentane are examples of saturated hydrocarbons. Compare unsaturated.
2. Relating to a solution that is unable to dissolve more of a solute.
3. Containing as much water vapor as is possible at a given temperature. Air that is saturated has a relative humidity of 100 percent.