Monday word: levigate

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levigate (lĕv′ĭ-gāt′)
verb
1. To make smooth; to polish.
2. To make into a smooth powder or paste, by grinding when moist.
3. To suspend in a liquid.
adjective
1. Smooth; having a smooth, polished surface.

Levigation can be used to separate coarse and fine particles:  the coarser particles will settle out of the liquid first.  This is similar to sedimentation, except sedimentation does not imply anything about grinding the particles.

Etymology:  Latin levis, smooth + agare, to make.  ('Levitate' has different word origins.)