aerosol

American  

[air-uh-sawl, -sol] / ˈɛər əˌsɔl, -ˌsɒl /

noun

• aerosols
  plural

1. Physical Chemistry. a system of colloidal particles dispersed in a gas and commonly formed as smoke, fog, mist, haze, or smog.

   a radioactive aerosol;

   aerosols in the stratosphere.

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. Physiology, Pathology. a mist that lingers in the air, composed of fine particles (less than 5 micrometers in diameter) that form from the evaporation of respiratory droplets (5–10 micrometers in diameter) released into the air through talking, breathing, singing, whistling, coughing, sneezing, etc..

   Recommended precautions against virus-laden aerosols vary according to the type of virus.

4. aerosol bomb.

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adjective

1. of or containing a liquid or gas under pressure for dispensing as a spray or foam.

   a deodorant available in aerosol cans.

aerosol British  

/ ˈɛərəˌsɒl /

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

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aerosol Scientific  

/ 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.

2. Compare emulsion foam

3. A liquid substance, such as paint, an insecticide, or a hair spray, packaged under pressure for use or application as a fine spray.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• aerosols
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of aerosol

First recorded in 1920–25; aero- + sol ⁴

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Explanation

An aerosol is a substance released in very fine mist, like oven cleaner or air freshener. An aerosol contains tiny particles of liquid or solid suspended within a gas. Spray paint is an aerosol product, released at the press of a button in a hissing spray. The aerosol paint emerges in the form of a gas, and adheres to the surface as a solid color. Aerosol products can be dangerous, since they're very flammable and can cause health problems if people inhale them. The word was coined in 1919, from a combination of aero-, "air" in Greek, and sol, short for solution.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

aerosol aerosols

The aerosol story may help explain part of that acceleration.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

"Ultimately, our goal is to improve the physical understanding and prediction of aerosol effects on deep convection, rainfall, lightning, and climate," said Rosenfeld.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026

Instead, they demonstrate that the atmospheric conditions required for condensational aerosol invigoration can develop inside real tropical convective clouds.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026

The maker of aluminum cans and aerosol containers said global beverage can volumes increased 5%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

“My guess is that the needle injected you with a transmitter,” he says, “and the gas was an aerosol version of the liquid that alters the brain. But why...”

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

Western scientists say that program soon turned into a cover for Soviet offensive bioweapons, in which plague, carried by aerosols, played a significant part.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

Together, these materials form tiny airborne particles called iron salt aerosols.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

So more aerosols mean brighter clouds and more reflection, and so less warming.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

Ironically, one reason the region may be warming more quickly is its success in reducing air pollution, thinning the blanket of aerosols that bounce back solar radiation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

“I think the pattern of spread that we saw, and the fact that it spread to new rooms, suggest that Ebola aerosols were being generated and were present in the building,” he said.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

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Related Words

• sprayer
• sprinkler

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