"one who or that which condenses," 1680s, agent noun from condense. Given a wide variety of technical uses in late 18c. and 19c.
Entries linking to condenser
condense v.
early 15c., "thicken, make more dense or compact" (implied in condensed), from Old French condenser (14c.) or directly from Latin condensare "to make dense," from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + densare "make thick," from densus "dense, thick, crowded," a word used of crowds, darkness, clouds, etc. (see dense).
Sense in chemistry and physics, "to reduce to another and denser form" (as a gas or vapor to a liquid) is from 1660s. Intransitive sense "become denser" is from 1650s. Related: Condensed; condensing.