whitener

[ hwahyt-n-er, wahyt- ]

noun

1. a preparation for making something white, as a bleach, dye, or polish:

   a bottle of shoe whitener.

2. a person or thing that whitens.
3. a person who applies whitener, as in a manufacturing process.

whitener

/ ˈwaɪtənə /

noun

1. a substance that makes something white or whiter
2. a powdered substitute for milk or cream, used in coffee or tea

Word History and Origins

Origin of whitener¹

First recorded in 1605–15; whiten + -er ¹

Example Sentences

One 2019 study even links the whiteners found in toilet tissue with a rise in cancer incidents in Ghana.

From Quartz

It is also used as a whitener in some toothpastes, and as a common household cleaning agent.

From Washington Post

Lime is the main whitener, and some of it clings to the wool after the process.

From Project Gutenberg