DETERGENT


Meaning of DETERGENT in English

I. -jənt adjective

Date: 1616

: that cleanses : cleansing

a detergent oil

II. noun

Date: 1676

: a cleansing agent: as

a. : soap

b. : any of numerous synthetic water-soluble or liquid organic preparations that are chemically different from soaps but are able to emulsify oils, hold dirt in suspension, and act as wetting agents

c. : an oil-soluble substance that holds insoluble foreign matter in suspension and is used in lubricating oils and dry-cleaning solvents

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.