water-repellentn.adj.
/ˌwɔːtərᵻˈpɛlənt/, /ˌwɔːtərᵻˈpɛln̩t/, /ˈwɔːtərᵻˌpɛlənt/, /ˈwɔːtərᵻˌpɛln̩t/, U.S. /ˈwɔdə(r)rəˌpɛlənt/, /ˈwɑdə(r)rəˌpɛlənt/ A. n.
An agent or coating used to make something resistant to the absorption or passage of water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > dryness > [noun] > quality of being water-resistant > substance
repellant1805
water-repellant1815
water-repellent1840
repellent1843
hydrofuge1886
hydrophobe1924
1840 Bury & Norwich Post 19 Feb. (advt.) Clutten's Macintosh lustre; or, india-rubber water repellent.
1883 C. E. Calen Let. 2 Apr. in Ann. Rep. Operations U.S. Life-saving Service (1885) 447 It is made of granulated cork prepared and coated with a ‘water repellent’.
1952 R. A. Pingree in H. C. Speel Textile Chemicals & Auxiliaries xx. 408 An acetate rayon fabric may tolerate a water repellent which is unacceptable to either viscose rayon or cotton.
2003 Chicago Tribune (Midwest ed.) 13 July iv. 9/1 For an exterior wall..the blocks must have an integral water repellent in the block and mortar.
B. adj.
Resistant to the absorption or passage of water; spec. not easily penetrated by water but nevertheless porous, esp. as a result of being treated for such a purpose with a surface coating.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > dryness > [adjective] > water-resistant
repellent1789
repellant1811
water-repellant1825
water-repellent1842
water-resistant1883
hydrophobe1915
hydrophobic1938
aquaphobic1944
1842 Satirist 13 Feb. 49/2 Notwithstanding its water-repellent properties, it remains as porous as formerly.
1922 Encycl. Brit. XXX. 59/1 The surface of the dope should be water-repellent.
1974 P. De Vries Glory of Hummingbird (1975) xv. 231 Testing a line of water-repellent trenchcoats.
2003 Wanderlust Apr. 105/1 A sudden heavy downpour left me dry in the middle but wet at both ends as, despite being efficiently water repellent, the jacket had no hood.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2015; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.adj.1840