elute

[ee-loot, ih-loot]

verb (used with object)

Physical Chemistry.

eluted, eluting 

1. to remove by dissolving, as absorbed material from an adsorbent.

elute

/ iːˈluːt, ɪˈluːt /

verb

1. (tr) to wash out (a substance) by the action of a solvent, as in chromatography

Other Word Forms

• elution noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of elute¹

1725–35; < Latin ēlūtus, past participle of ēluere to wash out, equivalent to ē- e- ¹ + -luere, combining form of lavere to wash ( lave ¹ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of elute¹

C18: from Latin ēlūtus rinsed out, from ēluere to wash clean, from luere to wash, _lave

Example Sentences

Then weeping overpowered her and she threw down the elute and ceased singing; whereat the folks were troubled and I slipped down a-swoon.

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When To Use

What does elute mean?

To elute is to remove by dissolving, such as with a substance that has been absorbed into another substance. In the field of physical chemistry and chromatography, substances are normally eluted in order to purify another substance or isolate a specific substance from another for independent use. For example, to separate antibodies from red blood cells, a scientist would heat the combined substance in a saline solution. Separating out the antibodies would allow the scientist to study the antibodies more closely.Elution is the process of eluting, and the eluent is the solution you would use to elute your substance.Example: To understand why Madison was so sick, her doctor ordered a test that would elute antibodies from a sample of her blood.