retardant

American  

[ri-tahr-dnt] / rɪˈtɑr dnt /

noun

Chemistry.

1. any substance capable of reducing the speed of a given reaction.

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adjective

1. retarding or tending to retard (usually used in combination).

   fire-retardant construction materials.

retardant British  

/ rɪˈtɑːdənt /

noun

1. a substance that reduces the rate of a chemical reaction

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adjective

1. having a slowing effect

Other Word Forms

• retardance noun
• retardancy noun

Etymology

Origin of retardant

First recorded in 1635–45; retard + -ant

Example Sentences

If the cameras and heat sensors around the house detect danger, the system can envelop the home in over 1,000 gallons of fire retardant and hundreds of gallons of fire-suppressing foam.

From Los Angeles Times

Many plastics contain thousands of chemical additives, including dyes and flame retardants.

From Science Daily

Among the synthetic products, 19 claimed to be flame retardant, three were labeled water resistant, nine advertised heat resistance, and three promoted "green" claims such as "no PVC" or "non-toxic."

From Science Daily

Firefighters responded with a C-130 air tanker, dropped retardant and created containment lines around the fire.

From Los Angeles Times

The colorful fire retardant drew Akira’s eye to the front line of the fire, and she saw a group of tiny figures using axes and bulldozers to fight the blaze in the valley.

From Literature