detergent
noun /dɪˈtɜːdʒənt/
/dɪˈtɜːrdʒənt/
[uncountable, countable]- a liquid or powder that helps remove dirt, for example from clothes or dishes see also dishwashing detergentTopics Physics and chemistryc2Oxford Collocations DictionaryDetergent is used before these nouns:
- ad
- dishwasher
- laundry
Word Originearly 17th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin detergent- ‘wiping away’, from the verb detergere, from de- ‘away from’ + tergere ‘to wipe’.