sparge

verb

ˈspärj 

sparged; sparging

transitive verb

1

: sprinkle, bespatter

especially : spray

2

: to agitate (a liquid) by means of compressed air or gas entering through a pipe

sparge noun

sparger noun

Did you know?

Where did sparge come from?

Etymologists think that "sparge" likely came to English by way of the Middle French word espargier, itself from Latin spargere, meaning "to scatter." ("Spargere" is also the source of "disperse," "intersperse," and "sparse," among others.) Although "sparge" has been a synonym for "sprinkle" since the late 16th century, you're now most likely to come across this word in one of two contexts. The first is a process called "air sparging," in which air is injected into groundwater to help remediate contamination. The second is the process of beer making, during which mash is sparged - that is, sprayed with hot water to extract the wort. In The New World Guide to Beer, author Michael Jackson describes the process by which one particular beer is made, saying that "it is brewed only from first running, without sparging...."

Examples of sparge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It’s then transferred to the lauter tun, a stainless steel machine that will filter liquid wort (a sugar-water mix) and extract additional sugars through a process called sparging. —Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably from Middle French espargier, from Latin spargere to scatter

First Known Use

1569, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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