elutriate
verb
elu·tri·ate ē-ˈlü-trē-ˌāt 
elutriated; elutriating
transitive verb
: to purify, separate, or remove by washing
elutriation
ē-ˌlü-trē-ˈā-shən
noun elutriator
ē-ˈlü-trē-ˌā-tər
noun 
Word History
Etymology
Latin elutriatus, past participle of elutriare to put in a vat, perhaps from *elutrum vat, from Greek elytron reservoir, literally, covering
First Known Use
circa 1727, in the meaning defined above
elutriate
verb
as in to decontaminate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- decontaminate
- clean
- wash
- purge
- cleanse
- leach
- process
- extract
- refine
- rectify
- purify
- fine
- filter
- sieve
- clarify
- disinfect
- sift
- distill
- screen
- bolt
- garble
- sanitize
- clear
- distil
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- soil
- contaminate
- muddy
- dirty
- cloud
- dull
- pollute
- taint
- defile
- foul
- besmirch
- sully
- begrime