( BrE also mer·cer·ise ) / ˈmɜːsəraɪz; NAmE ˈmɜːrs-/ verb
[ vn ] to treat cotton cloth or thread with a chemical to make it stronger and more shiny
► mer·cer·iza·tion , mer·cer·isa·tion noun [ U ]
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 19th cent.: from the name of John Mercer (died 1866), said to have invented the process + -ize .