steam distillation
nounDefinition of steam distillation
: distillation (as of a substance essentially insoluble in water) assisted by steam that is usually introduced as a current into the substance to be distilled and carries over with it quantities of the more volatile components to form an aqueous distillate on condensation
by means of steam distillations, volatile organic liquids may be separated from relatively nonvolatile impurities— J. H. Perry