1. To rub or to reduce to fine particles as when pulverizing something with or without the addition of a liquid: A smooth paste can be obtained by first levigating zinc oxide with a small amount of glycerin.
2. To separate fine powder from coarser material by suspending it in a liquid: Jacob was levigating sand and gravel so he could put the smaller particles around his cacti plants. 3. Etymology: from Latin levigare, "to make smooth, to pulverize"; from levis, "smooth" + agere "to make, to drive, to lead, to do" a : to grind to a fine smooth powder while in moist condition  b : to separate (fine powder) from coarser material by suspending in a liquid