(v.t.) To treat (cotton fiber or fabrics) with a solution of caustic alkali. Such treatment causes the fiber to shrink in length and become stronger and more receptive of dyes. If the yarn or cloth is kept under tension during the process, it assumes a silky luster.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). mercerize. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/mercerize/definitions/2031870 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "mercerize" http://smartdefine.org/mercerize/definitions/2031870 (accessed September 22, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, mercerize, Smart Define, viewed 22 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/mercerize/definitions/2031870>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "mercerize" 27 May 2011. Web. 22 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/mercerize/definitions/2031870> |