a chemical substance that affords protection, as against frost, rust, insects, etc
protectant in American English
(prəˈtɛktənt; proʊˈtɛktənt)
noun
a substance applied to some surface in order to protect it from damage or injury
protectant in American English
(prəˈtektənt)
noun
a substance, as a chemical spray, that provides protection, as against insects, frost, rust, etc.; protective agent
Word origin
[1660–70, for an earlier sense; protect + -ant]This word is first recorded in the period 1660–70. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: ballet, indicator, interleave, mainstream, saturated-ant is a suffix forming adjectives and nouns from verbs, occurring originally in Frenchand Latin loanwords (pleasant; constant; servant) and productive in English on this model; -ant has the general sense “characterized by or serving in the capacity of” that namedby the stem (ascendant; pretendant), esp. in the formation of nouns denoting human agents in legal actions or otherformal procedures (tenant; defendant; applicant; contestant). In technical and commercial coinages, -ant is a suffix of nouns denoting impersonal physical agents (propellant; lubricant; deodorant). In general, -ant can be added only to bases of Latin origin, with a very few exceptions, as coolant
Examples of 'protectant' in a sentence
protectant
This includes a protectant that helps to repel dirt.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
To make curls last, apply a heat protectant then spritz each section with hairspray before you use the straightener.