Pulverulence

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of being finely divided into small particles or dust-like textures is a notable characteristic of certain substances
2. The characteristic of having a texture composed of fine, dry particles resembling dust
3. A condition where a material is broken down into minute, powder-like bits creating a soft, crumbly feel

Etymology: "Pulverulence" is built from "pulver," the Latin "pulvis" (dust, powder) that also gave English "pulverize," followed by the suffix "-ulence." That suffix is a Latin-derived ending, found in words like "corpulence" and "opulence," used to form nouns of quality or state from adjectives or stems. Put together, the word describes the condition of being reduced to powder or dust. Its meaning stays close to the literal sense of its root. Where "pulverize" is the act of grinding something to powder, "pulverulence" names the dusty, powdery quality that such material has. The noun is thus a fairly transparent formation, and its surface structure gives the whole story: dust, plus a suffix for the state of being that way.