cationic detergent

American  

noun

1. any of a class of synthetic compounds, as benzalkonium chloride, whose cations are colloidal in solution: used as antiseptics, wetting agents, and emulsifiers.

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cationic detergent British  

noun

1. a type of detergent in which the active part of the molecule is a positive ion (cation). Cationic detergents are usually quaternary ammonium salts and often also have bactericidal properties

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Etymology

Origin of cationic detergent

First recorded in 1960–65