Word of the Day

: August 2, 2009

levigate

verb LEV-uh-gayt

What It Means

1 : polish, smooth

2 a : to grind to a fine smooth powder while in moist condition

b : to separate (fine powder) from coarser material by suspending in a liquid

levigate in Context

The formula in the old pharmacopoeia first instructs the reader to levigate zinc oxide and calcium carbonate with linseed oil.

Did You Know?

"Levigate" comes from Latin "levigatus," the past participle of the verb "levigare" ("to make smooth"). "Levigare" is derived in part from "levis," the Latin word for "smooth." "Alleviate" and "levity" can also be traced back to a Latin "levis," and the "levi-" root in both words might suggest a close relationship with "levigate." This is not the case, however. The Latin "levis" that gives us "alleviate" and "levity" does not mean "smooth," but "light" (in the sense of having little weight). One possible relative of "levigate" in English is "oblivion," which comes from the Latin "oblivisci" ("to forget"), a word which may be a combination of "ob-" ("in the way") and the "levis" that means "smooth."