dissolvere

to dissolve

verb dees-SOHL-veh-reh Rare

Origin: Latin dissolvere (to loosen apart), from dis- + solvere (to loosen)

Also means

to fade away

Usage Note

Dissolvere uses avere in compound tenses when transitive (ha dissolto il sale = it dissolved the salt) but essere when used reflexively (si è dissolto = it dissolved/faded). The past participle is dissolto (irregular). In cinematic language dissolvenza (a dissolve/fade) derives from this verb. The reflexive dissolversi is more common for something fading or disappearing of its own accord.

Examples

"Il sale si dissolve nell'acqua."

Natural Translation

Salt dissolves in water.

Literal Translation

The salt itself dissolves in the water.

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