retort

A retort is a piece of laboratory glassware used in distillation and related chemical processes. It is typically a rounded, bulbous vessel with a long neck or delivery tube that leads to a receiver. Substances are heated inside the retort, and vapors travel through the neck to condense elsewhere. Historically, retorts were sealed and heated in open flames or steam baths as part of early distillation setups.

The term derives from the French retorte, from Latin retorta meaning twisted back or turned, referencing the vessel’s curved shape. Over time, the word has acquired additional senses beyond the physical vessel.

In food technology, retort refers to a sealed processing method used to sterilize foods in cans or flexible pouches. Retort processing applies high temperature and pressure to achieve shelf-stable products, and machinery used for this purpose is described as a retort system or retort unit.

As a verb, to retort means to reply in a sharp, quick, or witty manner. The act of retorting often implies a defense or counterargument delivered in conversation or debate. The noun form retort can denote the reply itself, not merely the act of answering.

In summary, retort covers a range of related ideas: a distillation vessel, a food sterilization process, and a verb meaning a rapid, pointed reply, with historical ties to its curved shape and early chemical practice.