Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pumice

/ˈpʌm.ɪs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.51 in modern English

Syllables: pum-ice
IPA: /ˈpʌm.ɪs/

12

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

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, which are frozen into the rock as the lava solidifies.

Countable; Uncountable

verb

To abrade or roughen with pumice.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"The wind blew close to the ground - it rooted among the tussock grass - slithered along the road, so that the white pumice dust swirled in our faces - settled and sifted over us and was like a dry-skin itching for growth on our bodies."

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman and Old French pomis (“pumice stone”), from Latin pūmex (“pumice stone”). Doublet of pounce.

Word Breakdown

Root: *(s)poH(y)-

Usage

Inflected Forms

pumices (plural) pumices (present, singular) pumicing (participle, present) pumiced (participle, past) pumiced (past)

Derived Forms

pumicelike pumiceous pumicer pumicite

Phrases

pumice raft pumice stone

Frequently Paired Words

pumicate pumiceous pumiciform pumice stone

Synonyms

pumice stone

Homonyms

pomace

Rhymes With

pomace

Questions

How do you pronounce pumice?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpʌm.ɪs/.
What does pumice mean?: 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, which are frozen into the rock as the lava solidifies.
Where does pumice come from?: From Anglo-Norman and Old French pomis (“pumice stone”), from Latin pūmex (“pumice stone”). Doublet of pounce.

How to pronounce pumice

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