cationic detergent

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.

cationic detergent

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of cationic detergent¹

First recorded in 1960–65