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lubricant

American  
[loo-bri-kuhnt] / ˈlu brɪ kənt /

noun

  1. a substance, as oil or grease, for lessening friction, especially in the working parts of a mechanism.

adjective

  1. capable of lubricating; used to lubricate.

lubricant British  
/ ˈluːbrɪkənt /

noun

  1. a lubricating substance, such as oil

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. serving to lubricate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonlubricant noun
  • unlubricant adjective

Etymology

Origin of lubricant

1815–25; < Latin lūbricant- (stem of lūbricāns ), present participle of lūbricāre to make slippery. See lubric, -ant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Castrol is based in the U.K., and its fuel products and lubricants are available in more than 150 countries.

From The Wall Street Journal

In electric vehicles, lubricants can begin to foam, which poses serious risks.

From Science Daily

The carry trade was the lubricant keeping global asset prices inflated.

From MarketWatch

In late September, Germany’s Lufthansa signed a preliminary deal for a new oil that is billed as safer than existing lubricants, according to a spokesman.

From The Wall Street Journal

One division that has been earmarked for sale is its lubricants business Castrol.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.