CENTRIFUGE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does centrifuge mean? 

• CENTRIFUGE (noun)
  The noun CENTRIFUGE has 1 sense:

1. an apparatus that uses centrifugal force to separate particles from a suspension

  Familiarity information: CENTRIFUGE used as a noun is very rare.

• CENTRIFUGE (verb)
  The verb CENTRIFUGE has 1 sense:

1. rotate at very high speed in order to separate the liquids from the solids

  Familiarity information: CENTRIFUGE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CENTRIFUGE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An apparatus that uses centrifugal force to separate particles from a suspension

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

centrifuge; extractor; separator

Hypernyms ("centrifuge" is a kind of...):

apparatus; setup (equipment designed to serve a specific function)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "centrifuge"):

haematocrit; hematocrit (a measuring instrument to determine (usually by centrifugation) the relative amounts of corpuscles and plasma in the blood)

ultracentrifuge (a high speed centrifuge used to determine the relative molecular masses of large molecules in high polymers and proteins)

Derivation:

centrifugate; centrifuge (rotate at very high speed in order to separate the liquids from the solids)

• CENTRIFUGE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they centrifuge    ... he / she / it centrifuges   
Past simple: centrifuged   
Past participle: centrifuged   
-ing form: centrifuging   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Rotate at very high speed in order to separate the liquids from the solids

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

centrifugate; centrifuge

Hypernyms (to "centrifuge" is one way to...):

spin (stream in jets, of liquids)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "centrifuge"):

ultracentrifuge (subject to the action of an ultracentrifuge)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

centrifugation (the process of separating substances of different densities by the use of a centrifuge)

centrifuge (an apparatus that uses centrifugal force to separate particles from a suspension)

 Context examples 

Centrifuge through a gradient until a substance reaches equilibrium

(Equilibrium Centrifugation, NCI Thesaurus)

In a new investigation, crew members of the International Space Station will grow two batches of worms: one in microgravity and one in a centrifuge, allowing the worms to experience simulated gravity.

(Roundworms have the Right Stuff, NASA)

A centrifugation technique that utilizes photographic capability to determine the time it takes a particle to travel through a centrifuge cell under standard conditions.

(Analytical Centrifugation, NCI Thesaurus)