Dĭs'til-lā'tion, n.

n. [Fr. distillation, It. distillazione, Pr. distillacio, O. Sp. distilacion, N. Sp. destilacion, Lat. destillatio. See supra.]

1. The act of falling in drops, or the act of pouring or throwing down in drops.
2. That which falls in drops. [Rare.] Johnson.
3. The volatilization of a liquid in a closed vessel by heat, and its subsequent condensation in a separate vessel by cold, as by means of an alembic, or still and refrigeratory, or of a retort and receiver; the operation of extracting spirit from a substance by evaporation and condensation; rectification.
4. The substance extracted by distilling. Shak.

Destructive distillation (Chem.), the distillation of substances at very high temperatures, so that the ultimate elements are separated or evolved in new combinations. — Dry distillation, the distillation of substances by themselves, or without the addition of water.