to mercerize

1 9.9

To treat cotton with chemicals so it becomes stronger, shinier, and better at taking dye

verb
/ˈmɜːrsəraɪz/

Specialized

: mercerizar

To improve its durability and appearance, manufacturers often mercerize cotton fabrics before dyeing them.

Examples

The company decided to mercerize the thread to achieve a silk-like sheen for its premium line.
They mercerized the cotton to enhance its durability.
After you mercerize the fabric, it becomes both stronger and more receptive to vibrant colors.
Can you mercerize this fabric for me?
After you mercerize the fabric, it becomes both stronger and more receptive to vibrant colors.
To improve its durability and appearance, manufacturers often mercerize cotton fabrics before dyeing them.
The company decided to mercerize the thread to achieve a silk-like sheen for its premium line.

How Shiny

to mercerize

Specialized

1 9.9

to finish

Informal

6 2.4

to treat

38 3.2

Surface Forms

mercerize infinitive

mercerized past

mercerized past participle

mercerizing present participle

mercerizes third person singular

Morphology

mercerize = Mercer (opaque) = Mercer + ize

The word is formed with the productive suffix '-ize', but its meaning depends on the eponymous surname Mercer rather than a compositional meaning available to most learners.

Etymology

Mercerize is named after John Mercer, an English chemist who found a way to treat cotton so it became shinier, stronger, and better at taking dye, and the ending -ize means 'to make'. So, to mercerize is to 'make' fabric stronger, shinier, and more able to hold colour.