nebulize

American  

[neb-yuh-lahyz] / ˈnɛb yəˌlaɪz /

especially British, nebulise

verb (used with object)

nebulized, nebulizing

1. to reduce to fine spray; atomize.

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verb (used without object)

nebulized, nebulizing

1. to become vague, indistinct, or nebulous.

nebulize British  

/ ˈnɛbjʊˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to convert (a liquid) into a mist or fine spray; atomize

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Other Word Forms

• nebulization noun
• nebulizer noun

Etymology

Origin of nebulize

First recorded in 1870–75; nebul(a) + -ize

Explanation

Nebulize comes up mainly in medical contexts, where it means "to turn a medicine into a fine mist so that it can be breathed in." A nebulizer is anything that turns a liquid into a mist to make it easier to spray, and nebulize is what it does. The most common situation in which you'll find liquids being nebulized is in medicine, especially for lung troubles like asthma. Typically, the medicine is nebulized and then given to the patient through a mask connected to a tube that filters the mist in. The word comes from the Latin nebula meaning "mist."

Example Sentences

In response to Mercola’s comment, Carver emphasized that coronavirus patients should only be using prescribed treatments, and noted that the recommendation to nebulize hydrogen peroxide could be particularly dangerous for people with asthma.

From Washington Post • Sep. 22, 2021

In a different video from April 2020, removed from YouTube but archived on the website BitChute, Mercola describes how to nebulize hydrogen peroxide.

From Washington Post • Sep. 22, 2021

There are only a tiny handful of studies in which someone tried to nebulize, or vaporize, vitamin E in experiments related to lung health.

From Salon • Nov. 23, 2019