Derreter

Derreter is a Portuguese verb meaning to cause a substance to change from a solid to a liquid, typically by applying heat. It is used in cooking to describe melting ingredients, such as derreter chocolate, manteiga, or queijo, and in science to describe the phase transition when a solid becomes liquid at its melting point. The noun derretimento refers to the act or result of melting.

Etymology and usage notes: The word derives from de- (undo) plus reter (to retain), itself from Latin retinere, and conveys the idea of releasing a substance from a solid state. Derreter is a regular -er verb in both Brazilian and European Portuguese, with standard conjugation patterns.

In addition to its literal sense, derreter appears in figurative language to describe emotional or social effects, for example derreter o coração or alguém se derrete diante de um sorriso, meaning to feel moved or softened by someone’s gesture.

Related terms include fusão or fusão de sólidos, which refer to the physical process of melting, and derretimento, the noun form for the act or result of melting, with derretido as the past participle form meaning melted.