reactant

[ ree-ak-tuhnt ]

/ riˈæk tənt /

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See synonyms for reactant on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person or thing that reacts.

Also called interactant. Chemistry. any substance that undergoes a chemical change in a given reaction.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of reactant

First recorded in 1925–30; react + -ant

Words nearby reactant

reach-me-down, reach rod, reacquire, react, reactance, reactant, reaction, reactionary, reaction chamber, reaction engine, reaction formation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use reactant in a sentence

The same mixing happened when three different blobs, each carrying a single reactant, fused together.
Scientists Create Artificial Mitochondria That Can Make Energy for Damaged Cells|Shelly Fan|September 21, 2021|Singularity Hub
Captain Strong took his place in the pilot's chair next to Tom and strapping himself in snapped out, "Feed reactant!"
On the Trail of the Space Pirates|Carey Rockwell
"Empty the reactant fuel tanks of all but enough for us to raise ship and touch down over to the fairgrounds," said Strong.
On the Trail of the Space Pirates|Carey Rockwell
On the power deck, the big cadet turned to his control panel, took a deep breath, and opened the reactant feeders wide.
On the Trail of the Space Pirates|Carey Rockwell

If you so much as smell that grub, I'll come down and feed you into the reactant chamber!
Stand by for Mars!|Carey Rockwell
I don't know who's going to be first, but I can't even strip my ship by tomorrow morning, let alone soup up the reactant.
Treachery in Outer Space|Carey Rockwell and Louis Glanzman

British Dictionary definitions for reactant

reactant

/ (rɪˈæktənt) /

noun

a substance that participates in a chemical reaction, esp a substance that is present at the start of the reactionCompare product (def. 4)

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

Scientific definitions for reactant

reactant

[ rē-ăk′tənt ]

A substance participating in a chemical reaction, especially one present at the start of the reaction.

reactant

Origin of reactant

Words nearby reactant

Words related to reactant

How to use reactant in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for reactant

Scientific definitions for reactant