1. having the power to dissolve or break down substances
Usage: formal; technical

1. a substance that dissolves other materials
Usage: formal; technical

Examples

• The dissolvent properties of the acid made it useful for cleaning metal surfaces.
• Water acts as a dissolvent for many salts and sugars.
• The chemist added a dissolvent to break down the crystalline structure.
• This dissolvent can remove even stubborn stains from fabric.
• The dissolvent action of the enzyme helped digest the protein.
• Industrial dissolvents are used to clean machinery parts.