raffinate

American

[raf-uh-neyt] / ˈræf əˌneɪt /

noun

Chemistry.

the part of a liquid, especially an oil, remaining after its more soluble components have been extracted by a solvent.

raffinate British

/ ˈræfɪˌneɪt /

noun

the liquid left after a solute has been extracted by solvent extraction

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

raffinate Scientific

/ răf′ə-nāt′ /

The portion of an original liquid that remains after other components have been dissolved by a solvent. The term is often used to refer to the oil that is not dissolved in petroleum refining operations.

Etymology

Origin of raffinate

1925–30; < French raffin ( er ) to refine ( r ( e ) - re- + affiner to refine; see affine) + -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In addition to butadiene, the plant also produces raffinate, a refining byproduct used to make other chemicals.

From New York Times • Nov. 27, 2019

"The question is whether raffinate is toxic," says Board Spokesman Brian Vance.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023