distile

Distile is an uncommon term most often encountered as a variant spelling or typographical error of the verbs distil or distill, which denote the process of distillation. Distillation is a separation technique that relies on differences in vaporization and condensation properties to concentrate, purify, or separate components of a liquid mixture. The English verbs derive from Latin distillare, meaning "to drip down."

In technical contexts the correct forms are distil (British English) and distill (American English). The form distile has no separate, widely recognized technical definition and is not standard in dictionaries; when encountered it typically reflects regional spelling variation, a transliteration from other languages, a brand or trade name, or an idiosyncratic usage.

Distillation itself has broad applications, including the production of distilled spirits, extraction of essential oils, laboratory purification of chemicals, and industrial separation in petroleum refining and chemical manufacturing. Related nouns include distillate (the condensed product) and distillation apparatus such as pot stills and fractionating columns.

As a proper noun, Distile may appear in company names, product names, or surnames; such occurrences are context-specific and do not imply a single, established meaning for the term.