Pronunciation: ' p ə l-v ə - ˌ r ī z
Function: verb
Inflected Form: -ized ; -iz · ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin pulverizare, from Latin pulver-, pulvis dust, powder ― more at POWDER
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1 : to reduce (as by crushing, beating, or grinding) to very small particles : ATOMIZE < pulverize rock>
2 : ANNIHILATE , DEMOLISH
intransitive verb : to become pulverized
– pul · ver · iz · able \ ˌ p ə l-v ə - ' r ī -z ə -b ə l \ adjective
– pul · ver · i · za · tion \ ˌ p ə l-v ə -r ə - ' z ā -sh ə n, ˌ p ə lv-r ə - \ noun
– pul · ver · iz · er \ ' p ə l-v ə - ˌ r ī -z ə r \ noun