1. to remove foam, froth, or scum from the surface of a liquid
Usage: archaic; technical; chiefly historical in chemistry and alchemy

Examples

• The alchemist would despumate the boiling mixture to obtain a purer substance.
• In early chemical processes, workers despumated liquids to remove impurities.
• The recipe instructed cooks to despumate the broth by removing the foam that rose to the surface.