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definitions

aerosol

[air-uh-sawl, -sol]
See more synonyms for aerosol on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Physical Chemistry. a system of colloidal particles dispersed in a gas; smoke or fog.
  2. a liquid substance, as a disinfectant or deodorant, sealed in a metal container under pressure with an inert gas or other activating agent and released as a spray or foam through a push-button valve or nozzle: an aerosol for cleaning ovens.
  3. aerosol bomb.
adjective
  1. of or containing a liquid or gas under pressure for dispensing as a spray or foam: a deodorant available in aerosol cans.

Origin of aerosol

First recorded in 1920–25; aero- + sol4
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for aerosol

aerosol, sprinkler, froth, splash, fog, moisture, drizzle, duster, spindrift, atomizer, vaporizer, spray

Examples from the Web for aerosol

Contemporary Examples of aerosol

Historical Examples of aerosol

  • A drop or so of the aerosol on the skin is enough, I understand.

    Damned If You Don't

    Gordon Randall Garrett

  • She flinched and misted a cloud of aerosol capsicum ahead of her.

    Makers

    Cory Doctorow

  • Solvents and aerosol sprays also decrease the heart and respiratory rates, and impair judgment.

    What Works: Schools Without Drugs

    United States Department of Education

British Dictionary definitions for aerosol

aerosol

noun
  1. a colloidal dispersion of solid or liquid particles in a gas; smoke or fog
  2. a substance, such as a paint, polish, or insecticide, dispensed from a small metal container by a propellant under pressure
  3. Also called: air spray such a substance together with its container

Word Origin for aerosol

C20: from aero- + sol (ution)
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
Word Origin and History for aerosol
n.

1919, from aero- "air" + first syllable in solution. A term in physics; modern commercial application is from 1940s.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
aerosol in Medicine

aerosol

[âr′ə-sôl′]
n.
  1. A gaseous suspension of fine solid or liquid particles.
  2. A substance, such as a drug containing therapeutically active ingredients, packaged under pressure with a gaseous propellant for release as a spray of fine particles.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
aerosol in Science

aerosol

[âr′ə-sôl′]
  1. A substance consisting of very fine particles of a liquid or solid suspended in a gas. Mist, which consists of very fine droplets of water in air, is an aerosol. Compare emulsion foam.
  2. A liquid substance, such as paint, an insecticide, or a hair spray, packaged under pressure for use or application as a fine spray.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.