conditioner

American  

[kuhn-dish-uh-ner] / kənˈdɪʃ ə nər /

noun

• conditioners
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• conditioners
  plural

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

See Examples For:

conditioner conditioners

A fire erupted in a hospital maternity ward in Islamabad on Wednesday killing 14 infants, Pakistan authorities said, blaming a faulty air conditioner for the blaze.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

It added that anyone concerned about an air conditioner advert could report it via their website, external.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

Clad in pink and purple and wielding a pink power drill, Liu Xingyun, founder of Shero, deftly took an air conditioner to bits when AFP accompanied her on a recent home visit.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

Your only remaining responsibility is to slice a lime for the bowl — and perhaps one for the drink you’ll carry back to the couch, where the air conditioner is already hard at work.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

Frankie yelled as the air conditioner crashed back to the ground.

From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau

Iran's energy ministry urged citizens to reduce electricity use and switch off air conditioners in peak hours after the power grid came under strain.

From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026

Rivera vowed that Lineage would provide cash assistance, air conditioners, air purifiers and even help paying utility bills.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

Portable air conditioners: The clue is in the name.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

Chinese state media highlights European demand for Chinese air conditioners amid a heat wave, despite EU accusations of Chinese “overcapacity.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

“Like Black hair-care products in fancy hotel rooms—my aunt is a hairstylist, and shampoos and conditioners that don’t treat 4C hair are the bane of her existence.”

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold