diluent

English

Etymology

Latin diluens, from diluere. See dilute.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɪljuənt/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

Noun

diluent (plural diluents)

1. That which dilutes.
2. (analytical chemistry) A solvent or other liquid preparation used to dilute a sample prior to testing.
3. (medicine) An agent used for effecting dilution of the blood; a weak drink.
   • 1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter XXIV, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 230-231:

     But the case was pressing, and the nearest medical practitioner was sent for. On examining the throat, he expressed his desire that a physician should be called in, and accordingly a gentleman, duly authorized, made his appearance, and prescribed gargles and diluents secundem artem.

Synonyms

• dilutant, diluter, thinner

Derived terms

• cryodiluent

 

Translations

That which dilutes

• Afrikaans: verdunner (af)
• Bulgarian: разредител (bg) m (razreditel)
• Dutch: verdunner (nl) m
• German: Verdünnungsmittel n, Verdünner (de) m, Verdünnung (de) f
• Spanish: diluyente m

A solvent or other liquid preparation used to dilute a sample prior to testing

• Bulgarian: разредител (bg) m (razreditel)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 稀釋劑／稀释剂 (zh) (xīshìjì), 稀釋液／稀释液 (xīshìyè)

• German: Lösungsmittel (de) n

An agent used for effecting dilution of the blood

• Bulgarian: разредител (bg) m (razreditel)

A weak drink

Adjective

diluent (comparative more diluent, superlative most diluent)

1. Diluting; making thinner or weaker by admixture, especially of water.
   • 1731, John Arbuthnot, An Essay Concerning the Nature of Aliments, and the Choice of Them, According to the Different Constitutions of Human Bodies. […], 1st Irish edition, Dublin: […] S. Powell, for George Risk, […], George Ewing, […], and William Smith, […], →OCLC:

     there is no real Diluent but Water, every Fluid is diluent as it contains Water in it

Related terms

• dilutory

References

• “diluent”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• untiled

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /di.ly/

Verb

diluent

1. third-person plural present indicative/subjunctive of diluer

Latin

Verb

dīluent

1. third-person plural future active indicative of dīluō