PUMICE

pumice, pumice stone

(noun) a light glass formed on the surface of some lavas; used as an abrasive

pumice

(verb) rub with pumice, in order to clean or to smoothen

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

pumice (countable and uncountable, plural pumices)

A light, porous type of pyroclastic igneous rock, formed during explosive volcanic eruptions when liquid lava is ejected into water or air as a froth containing masses of gas bubbles. As the lava solidifies, the bubbles are frozen into the rock.

Verb

pumice (third-person singular simple present pumices, present participle pumicing, simple past and past participle pumiced)

(transitive) To abrade or roughen with pumice.

Source: Wiktionary


Pum"ice, n. Etym: [L. pumex, pumicis, prob. akin to spuma foam: cf. AS. pumic-stan. Cf. Pounce a powder, Spume.] (Min.)

Definition: A very light porous volcanic scoria, usually of a gray color, the pores of which are capillary and parallel, giving it a fibrous structure. It is supposed to be produced by the disengagement of watery vapor without liquid or plastic lava. It is much used, esp. in the form of powder, for smoothing and polishing. Called also pumice stone.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

25 March 2025

IMMOBILIZATION

(noun) fixation (as by a plaster cast) of a body part in order to promote proper healing; “immobilization of the injured knee was necessary”


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Coffee Trivia

International Coffee Day (September 29) is an occasion to promote and celebrate coffee as a beverage, with events occurring in places across the world. A day to promote fair trade coffee and raise awareness for the coffee growers’ plight. Other countries celebrate this event on October 1.

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