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pul·ver·ize

(pŭlvə-rīz′)

v. pul·ver·ized, pul·ver·iz·ing, pul·ver·iz·es

v.tr.

1. To pound, crush, or grind to a powder or dust.

2. To overwhelm or defeat utterly: The visitors pulverized the home team.

v.intr.

To be ground or reduced to powder or dust.

[Middle English pulverizen, from Late Latin pulverizāre, from Latin pulvis, pulver-, dust.]

pulver·iz′a·ble adj.

pul′ver·i·zation (-vər-ĭ-zāshən) n.

pulver·iz′er n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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