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   de·ter·gent

   /dəˈtərj(ə)nt/

   noun

   • 1. a water-soluble cleansing agent which combines with impurities and dirt to make them more soluble, and differs from soap in not forming a scum with the salts in hard water: "liquid detergents"
   • ▪ any additive with an action similar to a detergent, e.g., an oil-soluble substance that holds dirt in suspension in lubricating oil.

   adjective

   • 1. relating to detergent compounds or their action: "staining that resists detergent action"

   Word Origin early 17th century (as an adjective): from Latin detergent- ‘wiping away’, from the verb detergere, from de- ‘away from’ + tergere ‘to wipe’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. detergence noun
   • 2. detergency noun

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • D

     2

   • E

     1

   • T

     1

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

   • G

     2

   • E

     1

   • N

     1

   • T

     1

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