evaporation?

Answer 1

Evaporation is the process by which water is converted from its liquid form to its vapor form and thus transferred from land and water masses to the atmosphere. Evaporation from the oceans accounts for 80% of the water delivered as precipitation, with the balance occurring on land, inland waters and plant surfaces.

Answer 2

Or indeed for any liquid evaporation is the process by which a liquid is converted from its liquid state to its vapor state.

Evaporation is also the term that a physical chemist would use to describe the process of going directly from the solid state to the gaseous state.