Descale
/diːˈskeɪl/noun
To remove limescale or mineral deposits from a surface or appliance.
Did you know?Unlike ancient occult terms, *descale* is a modern technical formation from *de-* + *scale*, where *scale* means a hard coating of mineral deposits, not the measuring device.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
scala
“ladder; staircase”
Old French
Old French
escale
“stair, ladder”
Middle English
English
scale
“thin plate or husk; later a crust or deposit”
19th Century
English
descale
“to remove scale from metal or machinery”
Modern English
English
descale
“to remove limescale or mineral deposits from a surface or appliance”