propellant

[pruh-pel-uhnt]

noun

1. a propelling agent.

2. the charge of explosive used to propel the projectile from a gun.

3. a substance, usually a mixture of fuel and oxidizer, for propelling a rocket.

4. a compressed inert gas that serves to dispense the contents of an aerosol container when the pressure is released.

propellant

/ prəˈpɛlənt /

noun

1. something that provides or causes propulsion, such as the explosive charge in a gun or the fuel in a rocket

2. the gas used to carry the liquid droplets in an aerosol spray

Other Word Forms

• multipropellant noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of propellant¹

First recorded in 1915–20; propel + -ant

Example Sentences

It will also be used to demonstrate transferring propellant in orbit between vehicles, which will be necessary for missions to the Moon or Mars.

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But “Starship has yet to reach orbit,” Hubbard said, “and once it reaches orbit, they’ve got to demonstrate microgravity transfer of cryogenic propellant.”

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It is also used legitimately in the catering industry as a propellant in whipped cream dispensers.

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They cited a citation from state workplace regulators, who wrote that “accumulated propellant” inside the shooting range posed a fire risk.

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With the war in Ukraine, global demand for explosives and propellants has also been high.

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Related Words

• ammunition 
• bomb 
• booby trap 
• detonator 
• dynamite 
• gunpowder 
• mine 
• missile 
• munition 
• powder