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diluent

American  
[dil-yoo-uhnt] / ˈdɪl ju ənt /

adjective

  1. serving to dilute; diluting.


noun

  1. a diluting substance.

diluent British  
/ ˈdɪljʊənt /

adjective

  1. causing dilution or serving to dilute

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a substance used for or causing dilution

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of diluent

1715–25; < Latin dīluent- (stem of dīluēns ), present participle of dīluere to dilute; see -ent

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

To make Orinoco oil marketable, producers must blend it with lighter hydrocarbons, known as diluent, or upgrade it into a lighter synthetic crude using large industrial facilities.

From Barron's Jan. 6, 2026

One was carrying Russian naphtha—a diluent Venezuela uses to mix with heavy oil—to the South American country when it turned tail in the Indian Ocean; the others were empty.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 17, 2025

They are made by mixing high concentrations of salt in solvent with another liquid called a diluent, which makes the electrolyte flow better so that the power of the battery can be maintained.

From Science Daily Nov. 8, 2023

Depending on what formulation Pfizer produces pediatric doses in, that might require adding a different amount of diluent to each injection or using a different vial or syringe.

From New York Times Oct. 7, 2021

Some samples were checked after slowly bringing the diluent up to a level of 40 percent glycerol; the sperm seemed to be immobilized completely in this solution.

From Preservation of Bull Semen at Sub-Zero Temperatures by Friedman, M. E.

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