diluent

noun

dil·​u·​ent ˈdil-yə-wənt 

-yü-ənt

: a diluting agent (such as the vehicle in a medicinal preparation)

Examples of diluent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Most of the crude is heavy or extra-heavy, which requires diluents and specialized refining capacity, further constraining the ability to rapidly increase exports. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025

To create your own at home, substitute broth for the water or whatever diluent your recipe calls for. —Christina Montoya Fiedler, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 June 2023

The leak released about 30 barrels of diluent — used to dilute thick petroleum products for transport — into soil surrounding the line. —Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2022

If too little or too much diluent, or reagent, is used, even that can deliver a false negative or positive result. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 4 Jan. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Latin diluent-, diluens, present participle of diluere

First Known Use

circa 1721, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for diluent

• confluent
• eluent
• pursuant
• fluent
• suant
• truant

Medical Definition

diluent

1 of 2 noun

dil·​u·​ent ˈdil-yə-wənt 

: a diluting agent (as the vehicle in a medicinal preparation)

diluent

2 of 2 adjective

: making thinner or less concentrated by admixture : diluting