Definition of surfactant
: a surface-active substance (such as a detergent)
surfactant
adjectivePeople Are Reading
Recent Examples of surfactant from the Web
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Water sucks at getting grease off, so Tide uses compounds called surfactants that mix well with both.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'surfactant'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of surfactant
surface-active + -ant
Medical Dictionary
surfactant
playMedical Definition of surfactant
: a surface-active substance; specifically : a surface-active lipoprotein mixture which coats the alveoli and which prevents collapse of the lungs by reducing the surface tension of pulmonary fluids
surfactant
adjectiveLearn More about surfactant
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See words that rhyme with surfactant Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about surfactant
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