repellent

UK: /rɪˈpɛlənt/ US: /rɪˈpɛlənt/ ,(ri pel′ənt)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•pel•lent or re•pel•lant /rɪˈpɛlənt/   adj. 

1. causing distaste or dislike;
   repulsive:
   repellent behavior.
2. resistant to something (often used in combination):
   a water-repellent raincoat.

n. 

3. Pest Control something that repels or increases resistance to something:
   [countable] an insect repellent.
   [uncountable] spraying insect repellent everywhere.

See -pel-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•pel•lent  (ri pel′ənt), adj. 

1. causing distaste or aversion;
   repulsive.
2. forcing or driving back.
3. serving or tending to ward off or drive away.
4. impervious or resistant to something (often used in combination):
   moth-repellant.

n. 

5. Pest Control something that repels, as a substance that keeps away insects.
6. Drugs a medicine that serves to prevent or reduce swellings, tumors, etc.
7. any of various durable or nondurable solutions applied to a fabric, garment, surface, etc., to increase its resistance, as to water, moths, mildew, etc.

Also, re•pel′lant. 

• Latin repellent- (stem of repellēns), present participle of repellere to drive back. See repel, -ent
• 1635–45

re•pel′lent•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. repugnant, disgusting, distasteful, loathsome.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

repellent, repellant / rɪˈpɛlənt/ adjective

1. giving rise to disgust or aversion; distasteful or repulsive
2. driving or forcing away or back; repelling

noun
also: repellant

1. something, esp a chemical substance, that repels: insect repellent
2. a substance with which fabrics are treated to increase their resistance to water

reˈpellence, reˈpellance, reˈpellency, reˈpellancy noun

reˈpellently, reˈpellantly adverb