Micronize

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To break down a substance into extremely small particles, often at a microscopic scale
2. To process material so it becomes composed of tiny, finely divided pieces
3. To convert a solid into minute particles by grinding or milling to achieve a very fine powder

Etymology: The Greek adjective "mikros" meant "small," and it is the root of this verb. English took it as the prefix "micro-" and, in the form "micron," as the name of a unit of length equal to one millionth of a metre. The unit gave the verb its core idea: to take something solid and reduce it until its particles are measured in microns. The ending "-ize" comes from the Greek "-izein," which Latin later adopted as "-izare." It turns a noun or adjective into a verb meaning "to make or treat in a certain way," as in "modernize" or "standardize." Joined to "micron," it describes a process whose result is a powder so fine that its grains are microscopic.

Synonyms: pulverize, grind, mill