propellant
Americannoun
-
a propelling agent.
-
the charge of explosive used to propel the projectile from a gun.
-
a substance, usually a mixture of fuel and oxidizer, for propelling a rocket.
-
a compressed inert gas that serves to dispense the contents of an aerosol container when the pressure is released.
noun
-
something that provides or causes propulsion, such as the explosive charge in a gun or the fuel in a rocket
-
the gas used to carry the liquid droplets in an aerosol spray
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of propellant
Explanation
A propellant is a force or substance that drives something else forward. Your model rocket needs a propellant, or a fuel to push it into the air. You might use something as simple as vinegar and baking soda. Space rockets use solid or liquid propellants, or fuel. Propellant derives from the word propel, which means to drive something forward with force. A propellant can be fuel, or the explosive charge that pushes a bullet out of a gun. Gases used to propel can be called "propellant gases" and might be stored in a "propellant tank." Note that some dictionaries accept the variant spelling propellent.
Vocabulary lists containing propellant
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 27–September 2, 2022
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
October Sky
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Selection Vocabulary 2, Unit 6
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Highly flammable when treated with acid, it acts as a propellant, triggering a violent expansion of gas needed to launch artillery up to 70 miles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
At a third factory, housed in renovated Cold War-era buildings in a forest populated with deer, women with long painted nails assemble tiny components for igniters, which trigger the guncotton in the propellant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Because the booster does not need to reserve propellant for landing, more of its fuel can be devoted to reaching orbit.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
There has been some speculation online that the spheres are propellant tanks for spacecraft, and so could contain residual amounts of a highly flammable or reactive substance.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
Had we already passed the critical dimension for our new propellant?
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
