propellant

[ pruh-pel-uh nt ]
/ prəˈpɛl ənt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR propellant ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a propelling agent.
the charge of explosive used to propel the projectile from a gun.
a substance, usually a mixture of fuel and oxidizer, for propelling a rocket.
a compressed inert gas that serves to dispense the contents of an aerosol container when the pressure is released.

Origin of propellant

First recorded in 1915–20; propel + -ant

OTHER WORDS FROM propellant

mul·ti·pro·pel·lant, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH propellant

propellant propellent

Words nearby propellant

propanol, propantheline bromide, proparoxytone, propecia, propel, propellant, propellent, propeller, propeller head, propeller horsepower, propeller shaft

Words related to propellant

impetus, stimulant, motivation, incentive, stimulation, catalyst, encouragement, fillip, bomb, mine, missile, powder, ammunition, detonator, dynamite, gunpowder, electricity, food, material

Example sentences from the Web for propellant

British Dictionary definitions for propellant

propellant

propellent

/ (prəˈpɛlənt) /

noun

something that provides or causes propulsion, such as the explosive charge in a gun or the fuel in a rocket
the gas used to carry the liquid droplets in an aerosol spray