distillation

noun

dis·​til·​la·​tion ˌdi-stə-ˈlā-shən 

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

Techniques such as pruning, quantization and knowledge distillation can help in creating leaner models without compromising performance. —Shravanthi Kallem, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025

After the distillation process, what makes the final cut is then blended and bottled for gin aficionados to enjoy responsibly. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 12 Feb. 2025

Earl’s podcast, on the other hand, is just a distillation of her TikTok persona. —Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 12 Feb. 2025

The path to this pinnacle of achievement is essentially a distillation of the very best cars exhibited each year. —New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing distillation

• destructive distillation

Kids Definition

distillation

noun

dis·​til·​la·​tion ˌdis-tə-ˈlā-shən 

: 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 

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