Definition of surfactant
: a surface-active substance (such as a detergent)
—
- Trending Now: More Trending:
- embolization oleaginous pansexual symbiote charlatan
- ALL
What's Trending Now
More Trending Words
Recent Examples of surfactant from the Web
-
The campaign will identify products that are made without ingredients like surfactants (chemicals used to help clean and create suds) SLS and SLES, parabens, formaldehyde, phthalates, musks, or mineral oil.
-
But surfactants lower surface tension, which means that a rising bubble doesn’t immediately burst.
-
Steer clear of silicones and harsh chemical surfactants and reach for natural oils and ingredients.
-
Armourdale also produces surfactant, the cleansing agent, for Tide, ERA, Cheer and Old Spice Body Wash.
-
Follow with lukewarm water and a dime-size amount of cleanser (look for the ingredients cocamidopropyl betaine or caprylic triglyceride, which are sulfate-free surfactants) on your fingers or a clean, damp washcloth.
-
Dragna recommends finding personal care products that contain surfactants from the alkyl polyglycosides instead, the most common of which is decyl glucoside, because the head group is a sugar instead of a sulfate.
-
In some, that includes formaldehyde-releasing chemicals, solubilizers, surfactants, and emulsifiers.
-
Their products are made using natural and renewable surfactants, which the brothers say are safer for the environment.
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
medical 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
-
See words that rhyme with surfactant Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about surfactant
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up surfactant? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
