Centrifuge

noun, verb

noun, verb ·3 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A device in which a mixture of denser and lighter materials (normally dispersed in a liquid) is separated by being spun about a central axis at high speed.
  2. 2
    an apparatus that uses centrifugal force to separate particles from a suspension wordnet
  3. 3
    An apparatus in which humans are spun to simulate acceleration in an aircraft or spacecraft. figuratively
  4. 4
    By extension, any device which rotates in order to produce artificial gravity (in the form of centrifugal force)
Verb
  1. 1
    To rotate something in a centrifuge, typically in order to separate its constituents.
  2. 2
    rotate at very high speed in order to separate the liquids from the solids wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
analyzerbreakercentrifugatecentrifugatecuttereddy

Example

More examples

"To create the sample, the patient’s red blood cells need to first be separated. This is done by using a centrifuge which is a device created to separate fluids. The centrifuge is operated by hand and needs to be spun quickly to separate the substances."

Etymology

From French centrifuge, from Latin centrum (“center”) + fugiō (“to flee”). Equivalent to centri- + -fuge.

Related phrases

gas centrifugecentrifugal force

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.