conditioner

American  

[kuhn-dish-uh-ner] / kənˈdɪʃ ə nər /

noun

1. a person or thing that conditions.

2. something added to a substance to increase its usability, as a water softener.

3. a cream or liquid preparation applied to the hair or skin, especially for its emollient qualities.

4. a trainer of athletes.

5. an air conditioner.

6. Textiles. a person who conditions fibers or fabrics.

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conditioner British  

/ kənˈdɪʃənə /

noun

1. a person or thing that conditions

2. a substance, esp a cosmetic, applied to something to improve its condition

   hair conditioner

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Etymology

Origin of conditioner

First recorded in 1590–1600; condition + -er ¹

Explanation

The job of a conditioner is to make something soft. If you use conditioner after you shampoo your hair, it will feel smoother and softer. Hair conditioner is just one kind of conditioner — you might also treat your laundry with conditioner, softening your clothes, or your water with a conditioner that improves its quality. Another kind of conditioner is one that gets you physically into condition, or fitness. This might be an exercise or a teacher or trainer who instructs you in doing the exercise. Conditioner comes from the Old French condicion, "state or behavior," from the Latin condicionem, "situation."

Example Sentences

Like Joseph, who let me borrow his portable air conditioner — and even installed it — when a heat wave hit Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

Other fuel-saving measures, such as setting air conditioner temperatures in public offices at a higher than usual 26°C, were announced by Thailand's energy minister on Tuesday.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

Instead, it may respond unevenly, as if the thermostat were not positioned close to the air conditioner.

From Science Daily • Dec. 21, 2025

That was over the summer, so he turned off the air conditioner, began freeze-drying bulk food purchases rather than storing them in his electric freezer, and started shutting off his lights more often.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 1, 2025

There’s the air conditioner for starters—first too cold and then not cold enough and then noisy and blasting.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti