solute
Americannoun
-
solutes
plural
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of solute
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin solūtus, past participle of solvere to loosen, dissolve. See solve
Explanation
Solute is just a few letters short of solution, a substance that is dissolved in liquid. In science classes, a solute might be part of your experiment. Pronounced "SAHL-yoot," the noun solute has close word relatives in dissolve, soluble, and solid — all of which are rooted in the Latin word solvere, meaning "to loosen." A solute changes state when it is dissolved. In sugar water, the solute is the sugar because it changes from solid to liquid. The water is not a solute.
Vocabulary lists containing solute
Chemistry - Introductory
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!
Chemistry - High School
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!
The ACT Science Test: Chemistry Review 1
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.
See Examples For:
Upon solidification, a phase separation into a pure solvent, here ice, and a solute and particles occurs, with the ice templating the solute/particle phase.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 25, 2024
An increase in matter dispersal always results when a solution forms from the uniform distribution of solute molecules throughout a solvent.
From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019
In some cases, solutions prepared from covalent compounds conduct electricity because the solute molecules react chemically with the solvent to produce ions.
From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019
Hydrogen bonding between a relatively small fraction of the water molecules must also be overcome to accommodate any dissolved solute.
From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019
Let n be the total number of molecules of the solute, and n″ the number of dissociated molecules.
From The Mechanism of Life by Stéphane Leduc
Combined, these two effects -- convection and thermophoresis -- drive accumulation and selective up-concentration of the various solutes in different places.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 4, 2024
Water and solutes, such as glycerol, urea, and boric acid, get transported through human Aqp10 depending on concentration gradients across the membrane.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 21, 2023
These properties are fundamental to the survival of plants as they mediate water and nutrient uptake, govern the distribution of solutes through plants, remove toxins from the cytosol, and recycle valuable sugars.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2023
The evolution of vascular tissue for the distribution of water and solutes was a necessary prerequisite for plants to evolve larger bodies.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013
This definition is inexact, since no membrane permeable to water is absolutely impermeable to the solutes.
From The Mechanism of Life by Stéphane Leduc
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.
