Other forms: congealed, congealing, congeals
To congeal is to thicken and set as it cools. The fat congealed, congealed blood, congealing gravy.
It is an unpleasant word by association — fat and blood are what usually congeal — though the process is neutral. Figuratively, opinions and plans congeal into fixed shapes. The Latin is con plus gelare, to freeze, which is also behind gelatine and jelly.
1verbcongealTo thicken and set as it cools.
“Leave the gravy for too long and the fat congeals on top.”
congeal is a thickening.
Latin congelare means to freeze together, from con- plus gelare, to freeze. Jelly and gelatine come from the same freezing.
Middle English
congelen
English, today
congeal
From Middle English congelen. From Middle English congelen, from Middle French congeler, from Latin congelare, cognate with Portuguese - and Spanish congelar.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA