lisser

Lisser is a French verb meaning to smooth, flatten, or even out a surface. The term derives from the adjective lisse, meaning smooth, and is used for actions that remove irregularities to achieve a uniform finish.

In construction, manufacturing, and design, lisser describes processes that produce a flat or even surface, such as planing wood, sanding, or applying filler and smoothing compounds. In woodworking, planes and scrapers are used to lisser wood until it is even. In metalworking, grinding and polishing aim to lisser surface imperfections. In hair and cosmetics contexts, lisser the hair means to make it smooth, often with a straightening device or smoothing products; the noun lisseur refers to a hair straightener. In skincare, formulations may claim to lisser the skin by reducing roughness or fine lines.

Conjugation and usage notes: lisser is a regular -er verb. Present indicative forms are je lisse, tu lisses, il lisse, nous lisons, vous lissez, ils lisent. The past participle is lissé, used with auxiliary avoir (par exemple, j’ai lissé la surface). The related noun lissage denotes the act or result of smoothing and is frequently used in technical and cosmetic contexts.

See also: lissage, lisser les contours, lissage de surfaces.