English Explanatory Dictionary

mercerize

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To treat (cotton fabric) with sodium hydroxide to make it more lustrous and accepting of dyes.

Word forms

mercerize mercerizes mercerizing mercerized mercerise

Etymology

From Mercer + -ize, named after John Mercer of Great Harwood, Lancashire, who invented the process in the mid-19th century.

Derived words

mercerisation mercerization mercerizer
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