Dictionary

repellent en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ɹəˈpɛlənt/ (UK)
• /ɹiˈpɛlənt/ (US)
• /ɹəˈpɛlənt/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɹɪˈpɛlənt/ (UK)

Etymology

From Latin repellēns. Equivalent to repel + -ent.

Meanings

1. Repulsive, inspiring aversion.
   • [Martin] Heidegger's repellent political beliefs do not contaminate his philosophical work. 2014 April 12, Michael Inwood, “Martin Heidegger: the philosopher who fell for Hitler [print version: Hitler's philosopher]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review), London, page R11:
   • The mixture of whey, beetroot juice, and spirulina seems repellent to me.
   • People are rightly and justifiably terrified with our culture. Many aspects of it are destructive and repellant. 1978 December 23, Michael Bronski, “Notes and Thoughts by One Gay Man on Pornography and Censorship”, in Gay Community News, volume 6, number 22, page 11:
2. Resistant or impervious to something.
   • All that fabric's supposed to be dust-repellent.
3. (archaic) Tending or able to repel; driving back.
   • These particles exercise a-highly repellent force.

Forms

Hyponyms

water-repellent · moisture-repellent

Synonyms

aversive

Translations (35)

nb frastøtende (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · nb ugjennomtrengelig (resistant or impervious to something) · fi kuvottava (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · fi vastenmielinen (tending or able to repel) · it disgustoso (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · eo forpuŝema (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · es impermeable (resistant or impervious to something) · eo naŭza (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · fi hylkivä (resistant or impervious to something) · es repelente (tending or able to repel) · fr répulsif (tending or able to repel) · es repulsivo (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · fi kuvottava (tending or able to repel) · it ripugnante (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · ru отврати́тельный (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · pt repugnante (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · bg непропусклив (resistant or impervious to something) · nb avstøtende (tending or able to repel) · ru отта́лкивающий (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · it repellente (tending or able to repel) · ro respingător (tending or able to repel) · ru отта́лкивающий (tending or able to repel) · fi vastenmielinen (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · ro antipatic (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · fr répulsif (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · fi pitävä (resistant or impervious to something) · fi kestävä (resistant or impervious to something) · ro repulsiv (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · ca repel·lent (tending or able to repel) · ru непроницаемый (resistant or impervious to something) · bg отблъскващ (tending or able to repel) · ca repel·lent (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · bg противен (repulsive, inspiring aversion) · gl repelente (tending or able to repel) · pt repelente (tending or able to repel)

repellent en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɹəˈpɛlənt/ (UK)
• /ɹiˈpɛlənt/ (US)
• /ɹəˈpɛlənt/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɹɪˈpɛlənt/ (UK)

Etymology

From Latin repellēns. Equivalent to repel + -ent.

Meanings

1. A substance or solution used to repel insects, dangerous animals, or other pests.
   • None of the mosquito repellents we've tried work.
   • The most successful form of shark repellent, according to US Naval Research Laboratory tests, was a combination of copper acetate and a dark nigrosine dye, and cakes of this mixture were apparently now attached to the Mae Wests of all the US Armed Forces. 1954, Ian Fleming, “Beau Desert”, in Live and Let Die, London: Pan Books, published 1957, page 192:
2. A substance or treatment for a fabric etc to make it impervious to something.
   • They applied dirt repellent to the sports car.
3. (broadly, obsolete) Someone or something that repels.

Forms

Deriveds

pussy repellent · unrepellent · insect repellent · water repellent · nonrepellent · repellency · chemorepellent · interrepellent · Quarpel · repellently · excitorepellent

Translations (8)

bg репелент (substance used to repel animals) · fi hyönteiskarkote (substance used to repel animals) · nb insektmiddel (substance used to repel animals) · gd ola ana-chuileag (substance used to repel animals) · nb myggmiddel (substance used to repel animals) · es repelente para insectos (substance used to repel animals) · fi karkote (substance used to repel animals) · cs repelent (substance used to repel animals)