attractant

American  

[uh-trak-tuhnt] / əˈtræk tənt /

noun

1. an attracting agent or substance; lure.

   the sex attractant of the cockroach;

   a synthetic attractant used to bait insect traps.

---

attractant British  

/ əˈtræktənt /

noun

1. a substance that attracts, esp a chemical ( sex attractant ) produced by an insect and attracting insects of the same species See also pheromone

---

Etymology

Origin of attractant

First recorded in 1810–15; attract + -ant

Example Sentences

In cases of shark encounters, they add, the variable is not the sharks themselves, but rather the attractant that's drawing them to the area.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

Using an attractant like pinene eliminates the need to hunt for the termites.

From Science Daily • May 31, 2024

“Chemo” stands for “chemoattractant”—it’s the attractant for white blood cells.

From Scientific American • Jun. 21, 2023

That theme song is burned in my memory, both as an attractant and as a detriment.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2023

Entomologists have taken advantage of this fact for a good many years, laboriously preparing this sex attractant from the bodies of the female moths.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson