Spanish word

secar

Pronunciation

IPA/seˈkaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbdry

Example

Voy a secar la ropa.

I'm going to dry the clothes.

Illustration for secar (dry)

More examples

Es bueno secar los platos con un paño después de lavarlos.

It's good to dry the dishes with a cloth after washing them.

Core concept

Clothes hanging on a line drying in the sun.

Common phrases

  • secar la ropa

    dry the clothes

  • secar el pelo

    dry the hair

  • secar los platos

    dry the dishes

Similar words

tender: Drapes or pins garments on a line or rack so air removes their moisture.
escurrir: Wrings out fabric by twisting or pressing to expel trapped water.
centrifugar: Removes water from laundry through rapid spinning inside a machine.
deshidratar: Dehydrates food or materials by extracting water to leave them dry and shelf-stable.

Definition in Spanish

Hacer que algo pierda humedad o agua para quedar sin humedad.

Word origin

It comes from Latin siccus 'dry' via the Late Latin verb siccare, and regular Romance sound changes produce Spanish secar.

Usage tips

  • Spanish often expresses that something becomes dry without a named agent by using the reflexive or the impersonal 'se' construction rather than a transitive verb with a direct object.

Other meanings

  • dry outverb

Opposites

  • mojarwetverb
  • humedecermoistenverb

Related words

  • secadodryingnoun
  • secadorhair dryernoun

Word lists with this word