Fluoridize

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To enhance the quality of a substance by the application of fluoride for health benefits, including dental improvements and increased durability
2. To apply fluoride to a material or surface to improve its resistance or health properties
3. To introduce fluoride ions into a substance to strengthen or protect it

Etymology: "Fluoridize" is a plain formation: the noun "fluoride" with the verb-forming suffix "-ize" attached. "Fluoride" itself comes from "fluor," the Latin word for "flow," and the element fluorine, which was named for the mineral fluorspar because it was used as a flux that helped metals and minerals melt and flow during smelting. The suffix "-ize," from Greek "-izein," turns a noun into a verb meaning to treat with, cause to become, or give the qualities of that noun. Put together, the word means to add fluoride to something, most famously drinking water or toothpaste, so that it becomes more resistant to decay. The chain runs from a word for flowing, through a mineral valued for melting, to a chemical that now protects teeth.

Synonyms: fluorinate