water-repellent

American

[waw-ter-ri-pel-uhnt, wot-er-] / ˈwɔ tər rɪˌpɛl ənt, ˈwɒt ər- /

adjective

having a finish that resists but is not impervious to water.

water-repellent British

adjective

(of fabrics, garments, etc) having a finish that resists the absorption of water

"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

Etymology

Origin of water-repellent

First recorded in 1895–1900

Compare meaning

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

water-repellent vs. water-resistant

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:

water-repellent

It previously had used the chemicals in durable water-repellent garments, which accounted for a small portion of the products it sold.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 13, 2026

It is water-repellent and was originally used on sailboats, external to make them glide better before being introduced to skiing in the 1980s.

From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026

Ground that once absorbed and filtered water becomes water-repellent.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2025

Clean gravel has been washed of debris that could form a water-repellent crust in the mulch and support weed growth.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 12, 2024

I had asked the salesgirl, "Is it water-repellent?"

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023