What does elutriate mean?
To elutriate is to wash or purify a granular substance by exploiting differences in particle size and weight — most often by agitating it in water so that lighter particles remain suspended and can be poured off, while heavier ones sink and are retained. The word belongs firmly to the technical vocabulary of geology, soil analysis, metallurgy, and laboratory science, where it names both an action and, in the noun form 'elutriation', an established method of separating materials. A geologist might elutriate a riverbed sample to isolate fine clay, or a metallurgist might elutriate powdered ore to concentrate valuable minerals. Though rarely heard in casual conversation, it derives from Latin roots meaning 'to wash out', making it a precise and evocative term for anyone describing the ancient art of separating matter by washing.
verbTo purify, separate, or refine a substance by washing it, especially by swirling or suspending fine particles in water so that lighter material can be poured off while heavier matter settles.
- To wash or purify a substance, especially by suspending fine particles in water and pouring off the lighter material while heavier matter settles.
"The lab technician used a stream of water to elutriate the sediment, drawing off the finest clay particles while the sand settled."
"Geologists elutriated the riverbed sample to isolate the finer grains for analysis."
"In traditional panning, miners would elutriate crushed ore until only the dense metal remained."
Before modern sieves and centrifuges, scientists separated silt from gold simply by washing it away — a technique called elutriation that gave English this delightfully technical word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of elutriate
'Elutriate' comes from the Latin 'elutriare', meaning 'to wash out', formed from 'ex-' ('out') and 'lutriare' ('to wash'), a root connected to 'lavare'. It entered English in the mid-seventeenth century, initially in alchemical and metallurgical contexts before settling into modern laboratory usage. It shares its washing-related root with such familiar words as 'dilute', 'ablution', and 'alluvial'.
Related word forms
How elutriate is actually used
A formal, technical term found mainly in scientific contexts — geology, soil science, metallurgy, and laboratory chemistry — rather than everyday speech. It typically appears in passive constructions ('the sample was elutriated') or as its noun form 'elutriation'.
Easily confused with elutriate
'Elucidate' means to make something clear or explain it, while 'elutriate' means to wash and separate particles from a substance.