coolant

[ koo-luhnt ]

noun

1. a substance, usually a liquid or a gas, used to reduce the temperature of a system below a specified value by conducting away the heat produced in the operation of the system, as the liquid in an automobile cooling system or the fluid that removes heat from the core of a nuclear reactor.
2. a lubricant that dissipates the heat caused by friction.

coolant

/ ˈkuːlənt /

noun

1. a fluid used to cool a system or to transfer heat from one part of it to another
2. a liquid, such as an emulsion of oil, water, and soft soap, used to lubricate and cool the workpiece and cutting tool during machining

Word History and Origins

Origin of coolant¹

First recorded in 1925–30; cool + -ant

Example Sentences

A coolant used for everything from cryopreservation to high-tech manufacturing to ice cream, it can also cold-burn the skin on contact, and it shouldn’t be subject to the air pressure changes that can occur on flights.

From MIT Technology Review

When liquid coolant that’s pumped through the channels evaporates, the process draws heat from the underlying nerve.

From Science News

Once the system is powered on, coolant flows to the bottom, extracts heat from the soil, and flows back up to be cooled again.

From The Daily Beast

Grant pressed the stud to activate the skin coolant system for entrance into the atmosphere.

From Project Gutenberg