accelerant

[ ak-sel-er-uhnt ]

noun
  1. something that speeds up a process.

  1. a substance that accelerates the spread of fire or makes a fire more intense: Arson was suspected when police found accelerants at the scene of the fire.

Origin of accelerant

1
1915–20; <Latin accelerant- (stem of accelerāns) hastening (present participle of accelerāre). See accelerate

Words Nearby accelerant

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How to use accelerant in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for accelerant

accelerant

/ (ækˈsɛlərənt) /


noun
  1. chem another name for accelerator (def. 3)

Origin of accelerant

1
C20: from Latin from accelerāns, present participle of accelerāre to go faster

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

Scientific definitions for accelerant

accelerant

[ ăk-sĕlər-ənt ]


  1. A substance, such as a petroleum distillate, that is used as a catalyst, as in spreading an intentionally set fire.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.