dissolto

Dissolto is an Italian word that serves as both the past participle of the verb dissolvere and an adjective meaning dissolved or dispersed. It describes a substance that has entered into a solvent to form a solution, or it can be used figuratively to indicate something that has been resolved, merged, or spread out.

Etymology: The term comes from Latin dissolutus, formed from dis- “apart” plus solvere “to loosen.” It is related to the English verb dissolve.

Usage and grammar: In Italian, the participle dissolto agrees with the subject in gender and number. For example, Il sale si è dissolto in acqua (the salt has dissolved in water) uses the masculine singular form dissoluto. La sostanza si è dissolta in acqua (the substance has dissolved in water) uses the feminine singular form dissolta. The same agreement pattern applies to plural subjects as well.

In common language, dissolto appears in scientific and everyday contexts to express the transition from a solid state to a solute in a solvent. The related noun dissoluzione refers to the process of dissolving, while dissolubile describes something capable of being dissolved.

See also: dissolution, solubility, solvent, solute, dissoluzione (Italian term for the process).