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.
Related Words
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