distillation
n. C / Un. the process of cleaning a liquid by boiling it and then cooling the steam back into a liquid. It is also used to describe taking the most important parts of an idea and making them shorter.
n. the process of purifying a liquid by heating it to create vapour and then condensing that vapour back into liquid form. In an abstract sense, refers to the extraction of the most essential aspects of a complex subject.
The distillation of water removes salt and dirt.
Whiskey production relies on the distillation of fermented grain mash to increase the alcohol content and refine the flavour profile.
The author's latest essay is a masterful distillation of twenty years of research into a single, compelling argument about the future of urban planning.
From Middle English distillacioun, from Anglo-Norman distillacioun, from Latin distīllātiōnem, accusative of distīllātiō.
Uncountable when referring to the chemical process; countable when referring to a specific summary or version of a text.