distillation

noun

dis·​til·​la·​tion ˌdi-stə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce distillation (audio)
1
a
: the process of purifying a liquid by successive evaporation and condensation
b
: a process like distillation
gradual distillation of the truth
also : an instance of such distilling
2
: something distilled : distillate sense 2

Examples of distillation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to the distillery, the whiskey is made using the same distillation and barrel-entry proof as the core bourbon, but then deviates from there. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 7 July 2026 To end the endless copying, Anthropic has joined OpenAI in urging the US to view distillation attacks as a form of intellectual property theft. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026 Loved this homage to children’s book author Sandra Boynton and her expansive collection of works, and felt seen by this separate distillation of her most essential reads. — Torrey Hart, New York Times, 4 July 2026 This means developing smaller, more efficient AI models through techniques like model distillation (training smaller models to mimic larger ones) and quantization (reducing the precision of the numbers used in computation). — Sasha Luccioni, Time, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for distillation

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of distillation was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing distillation

Rhymes for distillation

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Browse Nearby Words

distillate
distillation
distilled green
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distillation. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

distillation

noun
dis·​til·​la·​tion ˌdis-tə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce distillation (audio)
: a process of heating a liquid or solid until it sends off a vapor and then cooling the vapor until it becomes liquid

Medical Definition

distillation

noun
dis·​til·​la·​tion ˌdis-tə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce distillation (audio)
1
: a process that consists of driving gas or vapor from liquids or solids by heating and condensing to liquid products and that is used especially for purification, fractionation, or the formation of new substances
2
: something distilled

More from Merriam-Webster on distillation

Nglish: Translation of distillation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about distillation

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