SURFACTANT

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does surfactant mean? 

• SURFACTANT (noun)
  The noun SURFACTANT has 1 sense:

1. a chemical agent capable of reducing the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved

  Familiarity information: SURFACTANT used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SURFACTANT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A chemical agent capable of reducing the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

surface-active agent; surfactant; wetter; wetting agent

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

chemical agent (an agent that produces chemical reactions)

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

emulsifier (a surface-active agent that promotes the formation of an emulsion)

detergent (a surface-active chemical widely used in industry and laundering)

 Context examples 

Lung surfactant is synthesized in alveolar type II cells, stored in lamellar bodies and secreted via exocytosis.

(Lung Surfactant, NCI Thesaurus)

Colistin functions as a surfactant which penetrates into and disrupts the bacterial cell membrane, thereby resulting in bactericidal effect.

(Colistimethate, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene is involved in the production of both lung surfactant and the fatty components of milk.

(FASN Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

Transcript variant 2 (8.0 kb) binds surfactant protein D independently of carbohydrate recognition.

(Deleted in Malignant Brain Tumors 1, NCI Thesaurus)

It is caused by deficiency of surfactant, resulting in the formation of a membrane in the alveoli lining.

(Hyaline Membrane Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

A solution or suspension composed of active and inert ingredient(s) in an anionic surfactant and intended for administration to the hair and/or scalp.

(Medicated Shampoo Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

A lung surfactant agent that is used as a replacement for endogenous lung surfactant.

(Colfosceril Palmitate, NCI Thesaurus)

The formulation consists of an oil-in-water emulsion in which gemicitabine is solubilized in the excipient matrix containing a mixture of oil and (co)surfactants.

(Gemcitabine Hydrochloride Emulsion, NCI Thesaurus)

A pleomorphic cell of the pulmonary alveolar epithelium that secretes surfactant and is distinguished by abundant cytoplasm containing numerous lipid-rich multilamellar bodies.

(Alveolar Cell Type II, NCI Thesaurus)

A synthetic, solid, fatty alcohol and nonionic surfactant.

(Cetyl Alcohol, NCI Thesaurus)