dispersant
nounUK /dɪˈspɜːsənt/
US /dɪˈspɜːrsənt/
A dispersant is a special liquid that helps tiny bits of something spread out and mix into water instead of clumping together.
Workers sprayed a dispersant on the oil spill to break it into tiny drops.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A chemical added to paint or ink to keep its particles evenly spread.
The paint maker added a dispersant so the color would not settle at the bottom.
3. A substance used in medicine to help a powder mix evenly into a liquid.
The pharmacist used a dispersant to blend the medicine into the syrup.
4. Any material that scatters particles throughout a gas or liquid.
Scientists tested a new dispersant to spread the powder evenly through the air.