propellant

American  

[pruh-pel-uhnt] / prəˈpɛl ənt /

noun

1. a propelling agent.

2. the charge of explosive used to propel the projectile from a gun.

3. a substance, usually a mixture of fuel and oxidizer, for propelling a rocket.

4. a compressed inert gas that serves to dispense the contents of an aerosol container when the pressure is released.

---

propellant British  

/ prəˈpɛlənt /

noun

1. something that provides or causes propulsion, such as the explosive charge in a gun or the fuel in a rocket

2. the gas used to carry the liquid droplets in an aerosol spray

---

Other Word Forms

• multipropellant noun

Etymology

Origin of propellant

First recorded in 1915–20; propel + -ant

Example Sentences

The Artemis II rocket contains nearly 750,000 gallons of propellant, so lightning is one of the biggest risks to safety.

From BBC

"But we're also humans trying to load millions of pounds of propellant onto a giant machine and send it to the Moon," he added.

From Barron's

Signs suggest that the bombardment is taking a toll: Iran upgraded the latest version of Khorramshahr in 2017 with a more stable propellant, reducing the time it takes to prepare the missile for launch.

From The Wall Street Journal

Oil-based substances can include lab-made fragrances, propellants that push spray deodorant out of the can, and stabilizing ingredients that help keep everything mixed evenly.

From The Wall Street Journal

Helium is used to pressurise propellant tanks, and any fault in that system could affect the performance of the upper stage engine or the safe draining of the fuel.

From BBC

Related Words

• ammunition
• bomb
• booby trap
• detonator
• dynamite
• gunpowder
• mine
• missile
• munition
• powder