Unmixes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. to distinguish and separate combined elements back to their original forms for increased purity
2. To resolve a mixture into its separate original parts for clarity or analysis
3. To pull apart substances that have been blended, restoring their individual identities

Etymology: "Unmixes" is the third-person singular present form of the verb "unmix," which is formed by adding the reversing prefix "un-" to "mix." The prefix "un-" has been attached to English verbs since Old English to mean "do the opposite of" or "undo" the action, as in "untie," "unwrap," or "unfold." The base verb "mix" has a more tangled past. It likely comes from the past participle of an earlier verb, "mixen," which itself traces back to Old English "miscian," and ultimately to a Germanic root meaning "to mix." Because "unmix" simply combines the reversing prefix with that long-established verb, it is a transparent formation with no special story of its own.

Synonyms: separate, untangle

Antonyms: mix, blend