elutriate

(ē lo̵̅o̅′trē āt′, i-)

to purify (an insoluble powder) by washing and straining or by decanting

Origin: < L elutriatus, pp. of elutriare, to wash out, rack off < eluere < e-, out + luere, var. of lavare, to lave

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See elutriate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb e·lu·tri·at·ed, e·lu·tri·at·ing, e·lu·tri·ates

To purify, separate, or remove (ore, for example) by washing, decanting, and settling.
To wash away the lighter or finer particles of (soil, for example).

Origin:

Origin: Latin elutriāre, elutriāt- (from *elutrium, vat, bath, from Greek *elutrion, diminutive of elutron, cover, sheath, tank; see elytron)

Origin: or ēlūtriāre (from *ēlūtor, one who washes, from ēluere, to wash out; see elute)

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