humectant
noun /hjuːˈmektənt/
/hjuːˈmektənt/
(specialist)- a substance added to foods to stop them from becoming dry
- a substance added to skin cream to stop your skin from being dry
Word Originearly 19th cent. (denoting a moistening agent): from Latin humectant- ‘moistening’, from the verb humectare, from humectus ‘moist, wet’, from humere ‘be moist’.