detergent
adjEtymology From French détergent, from Latin dētergēns, the present participle of dētergeō, from dē (“off”) + tergeō (“wipe, polish”).
1
Synonym of cleansing.
detergent
nounUK /dɪˈtɜːd͡ʒənt/ · CA, US /dɪˈtɝd͡ʒənt/
Etymology From French détergent, from Latin dētergēns, the present participle of dētergeō, from dē (“off”) + tergeō (“wipe, polish”).
1
Any non-soap cleaning agent, especially a synthetic surfactant.
- Near-synonym: cleaner (sometimes coordinate)
- laundry detergent
3 more examples
- liquid detergent
- powdered detergent
- She used a mild detergent to wash the clothes.
- Derived terms
- anionic detergent, cationic detergent, detergentless, dish detergent, dishwasher detergent, nondetergent, zwittergent
- Related terms
- manuterge, manutergium, surfactant