Standard Lemma guide

humectant

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /hjuːˈmɛktənt/

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any substance that promotes the retention of water, especially one used to keep a food product moist.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

any substance that is added to another substance to keep it moist

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: substance

Narrower terms: propylene glycol, propanediol

History

Etymology

From Latin ūmectāns, present participle of ūmectō (“to moisten”), from ūmectus (“moist”), from ūmeō (“to be moist”).

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 保濕劑 /保湿剂 (bǎoshījì) — substance that promotes the retention of water
  • Finnish: kosteudensäilyttäjä — substance that promotes the retention of water
  • Finnish: kosteudensitoja — substance that promotes the retention of water
  • Finnish: humektantti — substance that promotes the retention of water
  • Galician: humectante — substance that promotes the retention of water
  • German: Feuchthaltemittel — substance that promotes the retention of water
  • Greek: υγραντικό (ygrantikó) — substance that promotes the retention of water
  • Icelandic: rakaefni — substance that promotes the retention of water
  • Icelandic: rakagjafi — substance that promotes the retention of water
  • Portuguese: humectante — substance that promotes the retention of water
  • Russian: увлажни́тель (uvlažnítelʹ) — substance that promotes the retention of water
  • Spanish: humectante — substance that promotes the retention of water