Word Study
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: Pâ Pæ Pè Pé Pœ P- P. P/ P< Pa Pb Pc Pd Pe Pf Ph Pi Pj Pk Pl Pm Pn Po Pp Pr Ps Pt Pu Pv Pw Px Py
pumice
CIDE DICTIONARY
pumice, n. [L. pumex, pumicis, prob. akin to spuma foam: cf. AS. pumic-stān. Cf. Pounce a powder, Spume.].
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 . [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
pumice, n. & v.
--n. (in full pumice-stone)
1 a light porous volcanic rock often used as an abrasive in cleaning or polishing substances.
2 a piece of this used for removing hard skin etc.
--v.tr. rub or clean with a pumice.
--n. (in full pumice-stone)
1 a light porous volcanic rock often used as an abrasive in cleaning or polishing substances.
2 a piece of this used for removing hard skin etc.
--v.tr. rub or clean with a pumice.
Derivative
pumiceous adj.
Etymology
ME f. OF pomis f. L pumex pumicis (dial. pom-): cf. POUNCE(2)
For further exploring for "pumice" in Webster Dictionary Online
