Library / English Dictionary

SOFTENER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A substance added to another to make it less hard

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("softener" is a kind of...):

chemical; chemical substance (material produced by or used in a reaction involving changes in atoms or molecules)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "softener"):

conditioner (a substance used in washing (clothing or hair) to make things softer)

plasticiser; plasticizer (a substance added to plastics or other materials to make them more pliable)

water softener (a substance (such as sodium chloride) that lessens the hardness of water by replacing calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions and so gives the water more efficient sudsing power)

Derivation:

soften (make soft or softer)

Credits