luto-, lut-, luv-, lu-

(Latin: wash, clean; washing of water against the shore; a flood)

From Latin luere, "to wash" which is related to lavare, "to wash".

cryoablution (s) (noun), cryoablutions (pl)
1. The removal of a body part, such as a wart, by freezing: Some people need cryoablutions by a doctor to get rid of undesirable warts which are local growths on the outer layer of the skin which is caused by a virus.
2. Etymology: the transliteration of cryoablution is "freeze bath" or "freeze wash" and is performed with special instruments for local freezing of diseased tissues without any significant harm to normal adjacent structures.
deluge (s) (DEL yooj) (noun), deluges (pl)
1. A sudden heavy downpour of rain or a torrent of water: After a long dry summer, Steve and Polly enjoyed the deluge of rain that happened on the weekend.
2. A vast quantity or an overwhelming amount of objects in excess, such as, if by a great flood of articles: Jack received a deluge of fan mail from people who saw and loved his movie.

For her birthday, Cleo's sister received a deluge of gifts from her friends.

3. Overwhelmed, as with a heavy downpour or vast amount of some matter: According to ancient accounts, the northern nations did not anticipate the deluges of the Roman empire with their armies.
4. A great quantity of something, inundated; submerged: The deluge of rain caused severe mudslides.
5. Etymology: from Old French deluge, earlier deluve; from Latin diluvium, from diluere, "to wash away"; from dis-, "away" + -luere, a combining form of lavere, "to wash".
A rush by others in an over whelming number.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

deluge (verb), deluges; deluged; deluging
1. To flood with water: The downpour deluged the whole region where many people lived.
2. To overwhelm: Several countries have been deluged with financial woes.

The media has deluged people with reports about home foreclosures, bank failures, Ponzi schemes, swindles, high unemployment, and other bad news about the economy.

deluged (adjective), more deluged, most deluged
1. A reference to a large amount of rain that suddenly falls in an area: The river level rose to flood proportions because of the deluged storms that swept the countryside.

The deluged hills resulted in several mudslides.

2. Relating to a situation in which a large area of land has become completely covered or inundated with water: The most deluged meadow area was difficult for the animals to cross when they were searching for food.
dilute (verb), dilutes; diluted; diluting
1. To make thinner or less concentrated by adding a liquid, such as water: Shirley was diluting the thick soup with hot milk to make it thinner and milder.
2. To lessen the force, strength, purity, or brilliance of, especially by admixture (mixing or mingling): The bright moonlight tended to dilute the effect of the light on the majestic waterfalls.
3. Reduced in strength as a result of containing an added liquid: The bitterness of the vinegar can be mitigated by diluting it with equal quantities of water.
dilute phase (s) (noun), dilute phases (pl)
A liquid extraction that has a lower concentration of material which is being extracted: Dr. Rogers and the chemists were excited with the results of the dilute phase of their newest chemical experiment.
diluter, dilutor (s) (noun); diluters; dilutors (pl)
Something which makes a fluid thinner or more liquid by combining or mixing another substance into it: Water is an excellent dilutor for thick or concentrated soup or a frozen lemonade mixture.
dilution (s) (noun), dilutions (pl)
1. The reduction or the weakening or the concentration of something with a thinner: The recipe called for a dilution of one part concentrate to two parts water.
2. A liquid which has been made thiner, by the addition of another element, such as water: Typically the dilution of frozen juice is done to a specific ratio.
dilution rate (s) (noun), dilution rates (pl)
The speed or pace at which populations are made weaker or smaller because of a lack of births and immigration: The annual statistics gathered by the government tracked the dilution rates of the various groups of people.
dilutive (adjective), more dilutive, most dilutive
A reference to that which can be weakened, made thinner or less concentrated, by adding some other liquid: The dilutive strength of the new fluid in the test tube was untested and was part of the ongoing experiment.
diluvial (adjective), more diluvial, most diluvial
1. A reference to or that which is caused by a flood: The diluvial damage by the heavy rains on the plain was extensive.
2. Relating to the Great Flood described in the Bible: Many authors have written apocryphal (unverified, not certain) stories about the diluvial effects and outcomes of the Biblical floods.
diluvian (adjective), more diluvian, most diluvian
That which is relating to, or produced by a torrent: The diluvian aftermath was particularly devastating for the villages in the lowlands along the river.

Fred and Athena experienced the most diluvian destruction of their home because of the recent heavy rain.

diluvium (s) (noun); diluviums; diluvia (pl)
The sediments or deposits of topsoil, sand, gravel, stones, etc. on the bottom of a river as the result of the flow of rivers, or the melting of glacial ice: The diluvium in the tributary was layered because of the fast currents of the rapids.

The layers of glacial diluvium are often very dense, sometimes indicating accumulations that have taken place over centuries.

eluent (s) (noun), eluents (pl)
The substance used as a solvent in the process of separating materials by a process of washing: Jim and the miners were using an eluent to separate the gold dust from the sediment in the river.
elute (verb), elutes; eluted; eluting
Removing something from a material, sometimes by means of a solvent: The research department of the mining company was eluting valuable minerals from base rock by using the most practical liquids.

Click on the link for additional information about the historical background of washing and ablutions or cleanliness via washing.

Related "wash" words: balneo-; clys-; lav-; plyno-.