comminution
/ˌkɑməˈn(j)uʃən/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 1.81 in modern English
17
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "Near-synonyms: maceration, crushing, pulverization, crumbling"
- "He deſcribes in a Mechanical way the manner of its Action; ſuppoſing that ſome of its Particles having undergone ſeveral Comminutions (tho not a Diſſolution) from the various Firments they have paſſed, arrive at laſt, with the Blood, at the Brain; […] thoſe of them, which are not ſmall enough to paſs thoſe Straits along with the Juice, being juſt admitted, ſtick there till other appelling Subſtances give them a farther Comminution, and ſo pretrude them along: […]"
- "[W]hen a proportionable piece [of an aliment (food item)] is thus taken into the Mouth, the lower Jaw is variouſly mov'd by its proper Muſcles, and Maſtication is begun and carryed on by the Aſſiſtance of the Tongue, Cheeks, and Lips; the two firſt ſtill applying the leſs divided parts of the Aliment, to the Dentes Molares [molar teeth], till there's an equal Comminution of all its Parts; […]"
- "It's [the mouth's] hooked Form is of great Uſe to the rapacious Kind [of bird], in catching and holding their Prey, and in the Comminution thereof by tearing; to others it is no less ſerviceable to their climbing, as well as neat and nice Comminution of their Food."
- "[B]y what process, we would ask, could these sands have been sifted and separated agreeable to their grades, as they are now found? What circumstances could have effected such comminutions, such separations, such transpositions, and transportations of the several kinds, having all the same origin?"
- "What circumstances determine the degree of comminution to which a substance should be subjected preparatory to future extraction?"
Etymology
From Latin comminūtiō (“breaking into pieces, crumbling, shattering; crushing, pulverizing”), from Latin comminuō (“to break or crumble into small pieces; to crush, pulverize”) (from com- (prefix indicating completeness) + minuō (“to make smaller; to diminish, lessen”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“little, small”)) + Latin -tiō (suffix forming a noun relating to some action or the result of an action); equivalent to comminute + -ion.
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌkɑməˈn(j)uʃən/
- British English: /ˌkɒmɪˈnjuːʃ(ə)n/