lixiviate

English

Etymology

From Latin lixivio, from lixivius (“made into lye”), from lix (“ashes, lye”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /lɪkˈsɪvieɪt/

Verb

lixiviate (third-person singular simple present lixiviates, present participle lixiviating, simple past and past participle lixiviated)

1. To separate (a substance) into soluble and insoluble components through percolation; to leach.
   • 1997, Thomas Pynchon, Mason & Dixon:

     the Slaves are out in the Storm, doing their Owners’ Laundry, observing and reading each occurrence of Blood, Semen, Excrement, Saliva, Urine, Sweat, Road-Mud, dead Skin, and other such Data of Biography, whose pure form they practice Daily, before all is lixiviated ’neath Heaven.

Adjective

lixiviate (comparative more lixiviate, superlative most lixiviate)

1. Of or relating to lye or lixivium; of the quality of alkaline salts.
2. Impregnated with salts from wood ashes.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Boyle to this entry?)

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.