effervescere

Effervescere is a Latin verb meaning to begin to fizz or bubble forth. In classical usage it described liquids that release bubbles, whether through heating or a chemical reaction. In English, the verb effervesce and the noun effervescence derive from this Latin root and are used in both scientific and figurative contexts.

Etymology and forms: The word comes from Latin effervescere, often analyzed as ex- “out” plus ferveo “to boil,” with the sense of boiling or bubbling forth. It entered French as effervescence and was borrowed into English in the early modern period. The related adjective effervescent describes something that effervesces or has the quality of bubbling.

Scientific usage: In chemistry, effervescence refers to the rapid evolution of a gas, typically carbon dioxide, from a liquid due to a reaction or dissolution process. A common example is the reaction of an acid with a carbonate, which releases CO2 and creates fizz. Pharmaceutical contexts describe effervescent tablets that dissolve in water, releasing gas and producing a fizzy solution.

Other uses: The term can also describe a personality trait—an effervescent person is lively and vivacious. In geology or mineralogy, effervescence denotes a mineral’s reaction with acid, such as calcite fizzing when exposed to hydrochloric acid.

See also: Effervescence, Effervescent.