decolorize

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to remove or destroy the color in a substance, material, or sample

   The technician used alcohol to decolorize the stained cells.

2. 2
   verb

   to lose color or become colorless

   The indicator will decolorize when the reaction is complete.

A nineteenth-century formation from de- ("remove, reverse") + color + -ize. The British spellings decolourize and decolourise preserve colour, but all forms denote removing color or becoming colorless.

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