pumice

American  

[puhm-is] / ˈpʌm ɪs /

noun

1. Also called pumice stone.  a porous or spongy form of volcanic glass, used as an abrasive.

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verb (used with object)

pumiced, pumicing

1. to rub, smooth, clean, etc., with pumice.

pumice British  

/ ˈpʌmɪs, pjuːˈmɪʃəs /

noun

1. Also called: pumice stone.  a light porous acid volcanic rock having the composition of rhyolite, used for scouring and, in powdered form, as an abrasive and for polishing

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verb

1. (tr) to rub or polish with pumice

pumice Scientific  

/ pŭm′ĭs /

1. A usually light-colored, porous, lightweight rock of volcanic origin. The pores form when water vapor and gases escape from the lava during its quick solidification into rock.

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Other Word Forms

• pumiceous adjective
• pumicer noun

Etymology

Origin of pumice

First recorded before 1000; from Latin pūmic-, stem of pūmex “pumice stone”; replacing Middle English pomis(e), pomish(e), pomice, from Middle French pomis, from Latin; compare Old English pumic- (from Latin ), in pumicstān “pumice stone”; pounce ³

Compare meaning

How does pumice compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• scoria vs. pumice

Explanation

Pumice is a very light stone that comes from volcanic rock. Formed from lava, pumice is porous, or full of tiny holes. It may sound exotic, but you can buy one at the drug store and scrub your feet with it. The pumice found by a geologist or displayed in a museum exhibit about volcanoes is the same material as the pumice stones that you'd use to smooth the callouses off your feet. Pumice is also useful for "aging" denim (or making stone-washed jeans), and it's included in objects like pencil erasers and cinder blocks. The word comes from the Latin pumex, which shares a root with "foam."

Example Sentences

Finds included bone pegs for stretching vellum as it dried, and tools such as knives and pumice stones for scraping and smoothing animal hides.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

He died at Stabiae, a few miles south of Pompeii, gazing over a sea rendered unnavigable by pumice and strong opposing winds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

They had also visited Pompeii, the ancient Italian city buried under volcanic ash and pumice when Mt.

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2024

In addition to lava, volcanos eject large amounts of pumice, ashes and gases as a fast-moving flow, known as "pyroclastic flow," and its sediments are a valuable data source on past eruptions.

From Science Daily • Feb. 22, 2024

She rubbed her with oil, scraped her with a strigil, scrubbed her hands and feet with pumice, and washed her hair, pouring jug after jug of water over her.

From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks