a chemical substance used to break up a liquid, especially oil floating on the sea, into tiny pieces so that it spreads over a wide area and causes less harm
Dispersants were used to tackle the oilspill.
Synonyms and related words
Chemical substances used for a specific purpose
agar
antifreeze
antioxidant
Synonyms and related words
Environmental issues
anthropogenic
biodegradable
biohazard
dispersant
noun countable/uncountable
US /dɪˈspɜrs(ə)nt/
Word Forms
singular
dispersant
plural
dispersants
DEFINITIONS1
1
a chemical substance used to break up a liquid, especially oil floating on the sea, into tiny pieces so that it spreads over a wide area and causes less harm