Burette

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /bjʊəˈɹɛt/

Definitions

1. A scientific instrument that features a long glass tube designed for the precise measurement and dispensing of liquid volumes
2. A device made of glass, typically featuring calibrated markings, that serves to accurately dispense specific volumes of liquid in various laboratory experiments
3. A slender glass tube used in scientific labs to deliver exact amounts of liquid for experiments

Etymology: The laboratory "burette" is named after a jug. Its root is the French "buire," a word for a vessel for holding liquid, and the French added the diminutive ending "-ette" to make "burette," a little buire. English borrowed the French term, so the glass tube that delivers measured drops in a titration is, etymologically, a small pitcher. The chain of endings is itself a small history. The "-ette" suffix descends from Old French "-et," which came from Late Latin "-ittus," and that in turn traces back to the older Italic "-tos" ending. Each step added a sense of smallness or affection, so the modern instrument carries several centuries of diminutive grammar inside its name.