annealing

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

an•neal  (ə nēl′), v.t. 

1. Metallurgy, Ceramics to heat (glass, earthenware, metals, etc.) to remove or prevent internal stress.
2. Metallurgy, Ceramics to free from internal stress by heating and gradually cooling.
3. to toughen or temper.
4. Biochemistry to recombine (nucleic acid strands) at low temperature after separating by heat.
5. Ceramics to fuse colors onto (a vitreous or metallic surface) by heating.

n. 

6. Metallurgy, Ceramics an act, instance, or product of annealing.

• Middle English anelen, Old English anǣlan to kindle, equivalent. to an- on + ǣlan to burn, akin to āl fire bef. 1000

an•neal′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

anneal / əˈniːl/ verb

1. to temper or toughen (something) by heat treatment
2. (transitive) to toughen or strengthen (the will, determination, etc)

noun

1. an act of annealing

Etymology: Old English onǣlan, from on + ǣlan to burn, from āl fire

anˈnealer noun