pumice Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a light glass formed on the surface of some lavas; used as an abrasive
    pumice stone.
  2. verb rub with pumice, in order to clean or to smoothen

WordNet

Pum"ice noun
Etymology
L. pumex, pumicis, prob. akin to spuma foam: cf. AS. pumic-stan. Cf. Pounce a powder, Spume.
Definitions
  1. (Min.) A very light porous volcanic scoria, usually of a gray color, the pores of which are capillary and parallel, giving it a fibrous structure. It is supposed to be produced by the disengagement of watery vapor without liquid or plastic lava. It is much used, esp. in the form of powder, for smoothing and polishing. Called also pumice stone.

Webster 1913