What does demineralised mean?
Demineralised means that minerals have been removed or substantially reduced from a substance, most often from water. In this context, it describes water that has been treated to remove dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which can otherwise create scale in pipes, kettles, boilers, and laboratory equipment. The word can also describe a biological process in which mineral content is lost from bones or teeth, as in severe cases of bone demineralisation. Demineralised is chiefly a British spelling; the standard American spelling is demineralized. The term is usually formal and technical, appearing in chemistry, medicine, food processing, and water treatment, though it is familiar in product descriptions such as demineralised water. It is useful because it distinguishes deliberate mineral removal from ordinary filtration and from the related process of remineralisation, in which minerals are added back.
Having minerals removed or reduced from a substance, especially water.
"They installed a small filter to provide demineralised water for the laboratory."
The term is often used in technical and commercial contexts.
Having lost mineral content, especially from bone or another biological tissue.
"The scan showed that her bones had become dangerously demineralised."
This sense is especially associated with medicine and nutrition.
To remove minerals from a substance, especially water.
"The treatment plant demineralised the water before distributing it."
The form shown is the British past tense and past participle; the American forms are demineralizes and demineralized.
Demineralised water shows how a scientific process can become part of everyday language: it is simply water whose natural mineral content has been deliberately reduced.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does demineralised come from?
The word is formed in English from the prefix de-, meaning removal or reversal, and mineral, from Old French and Latin roots referring to ores or naturally occurring mineral substances. The verb demineralise developed in modern English for the treatment of water and other materials, while the related medical sense refers to the loss of minerals from bodily tissues. The -ised ending follows the spelling conventions of British English, whereas demineralized reflects the American convention.
Related word forms
How demineralised is actually used
The word is formal and technical, but common in discussions of water treatment, laboratory work, food processing, and medicine. British English generally uses the -ised spelling, while American English generally uses -ized.
Easily confused with demineralised
These are British and American spellings of the same word, with the same meaning and pronunciation.
Demineralised describes a substance whose minerals have been removed, whereas mineralised describes one that has been enriched with minerals.