Mercerise

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A process that transforms cotton into a softer, stronger fabric by treating it with sodium hydroxide
2. This technique enhances the dye affinity of the material, resulting in brighter colors and a lustrous finish
3. A finishing method applied to cotton fibers to improve their appearance and performance, making them more durable and appealing

Etymology: John Mercer was a calico printer and chemist from Great Harwood in Lancashire, and in the mid-19th century he discovered that treating cotton with strong caustic soda made the fibres swell, shorten and take on a silky lustre. The process that followed bears his name. Cotton treated this way becomes stronger and takes dye more readily, which is why it appears in so many everyday fabrics. The verb is simply "Mercer" plus the suffix "-ize", meaning "to subject to" or "to make into." Its first element comes from the surname, so the word is a name turned into a process, much as "pasteurize" carries the name of Louis Pasteur. The English spelling "mercerise" is the British form of the same verb.