distillation

Etymology

From Middle English distillacioun, from Anglo-Norman distillacioun, from Latin distīllātiōnem, accusative of distīllātiō.

noun

1. The act of falling in drops, or the act of pouring out in drops.
2. That which falls in drops.
3. (chemistry, chemical engineering) The separation of more volatile parts of a substance from less volatile ones by evaporation and condensation.
   1. Purification through repeated or continuous distilling; rectification.
   2. (petroleum) Separation into specific hydrocarbon groups; fractionation.
4. The substance extracted by distilling.