detergent - definition, thesaurus and related words from WordNet-Online

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Adjective detergent has 1 sense

detergent, detersive - having cleansing power
Antonyms: adulterating, adulterant (indirect, via purifying)

Noun detergent has 2 senses

detergent - a surface-active chemical widely used in industry and laundering
--₁ is a kind of wetting agent, wetter, surfactant, surface-active agent
--₁ has particulars:
anionic detergent, anionic, non-ionic detergent; cationic detergent, invert soap; sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium lauryl sulfate, SLS
detergent - a cleansing agent that differs from soap but can also emulsify oils and hold dirt in suspension
--₂ is a kind of cleansing agent, cleanser, cleaner
--₂ has particulars:
dishwasher detergent, dishwashing detergent, dishwashing liquid; laundry detergent; liquid detergent

Derived form: verb deterge₁