Distill
/dɪˈstɪl/noun
To purify or concentrate a liquid by heating it so the vapor condenses; by extension, to extract the essential meaning from something.
Did you know?The word came into English through medieval Latin and Old French in the world of alchemy, where distillation was one of the core techniques for separating spirit from matter.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
distillāre
“to drip down, trickle”
Late Latin
Latin
distillāre
“to cause liquid to drip or trickle down”
Old French
OF
distiller
“to drip, trickle; later, to separate by distillation”
14th Century
English
distillen
“to drip or trickle; to purify a liquid by heat and condensation”
Modern English
English
distill
“to purify a liquid by evaporation and condensation; to extract the essence of something”
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