vesicant

American  

[ves-i-kuhnt] / ˈvɛs ɪ kənt /

adjective

1. producing a blister or blisters, as a medicinal substance; vesicating.

---

noun

1. a vesicant agent or substance.

2. (in chemical warfare) a chemical agent that causes burns and destruction of tissue both internally and externally.

vesicant British  

/ ˈvɛsɪkənt /

noun

1. any substance that causes blisters, used in medicine and in chemical warfare

---

adjective

1. acting as a vesicant

Etymology

Origin of vesicant

1655–65; < New Latin vēsīcant- (stem of vēsīcāns ), present participle of vēsīcāre to vesicate; see -ant

---

Compare meaning

How does vesicant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• vesicant vs. irritant

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vesicant

Mustard was far & away the most important vesicant in the European arena.

From Time Magazine Archive

Line-firing, instead of the vesicant is made use of by some, but the object desired is the same and results obtained are similar.

From Lameness of the Horse Veterinary Practitioners' Series, No. 1 by John Victor Lacroix

The French Physiological Classification;—Asphyxiating Substances;— Toxic Substances;—Chemicals or poison gases were either asphyxiating, toxic, lachrymatory, vesicant, or sternutatory.

From The Riddle of the Rhine; chemical strategy in peace and war by Victor Lefebure

The combination of the vesicant and persistent properties of mustard gas rendered it a powerful military factor.

From The Riddle of the Rhine; chemical strategy in peace and war by Victor Lefebure

These compounds, the chief of which was mustard gas, produced vesicant, or skin burning, effects, which, although rarely mortal, were sufficient to put a man out of action for a number of months.

From The Riddle of the Rhine; chemical strategy in peace and war by Victor Lefebure

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---