aerosol
Americannoun
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Physical Chemistry. a system of colloidal particles dispersed in a gas and commonly formed as smoke, fog, mist, haze, or smog.
a radioactive aerosol;
aerosols in the stratosphere.
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a liquid substance, as a disinfectant or deodorant, sealed in a metal container under pressure with an inert gas or other activating agent and released as a spray or foam through a push-button valve or nozzle.
an aerosol for cleaning ovens.
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Physiology, Pathology. a mist that lingers in the air, composed of fine particles (less than 5 micrometers in diameter) that form from the evaporation of respiratory droplets (5–10 micrometers in diameter) released into the air through talking, breathing, singing, whistling, coughing, sneezing, etc..
Recommended precautions against virus-laden aerosols vary according to the type of virus.
adjective
noun
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a colloidal dispersion of solid or liquid particles in a gas; smoke or fog
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a substance, such as a paint, polish, or insecticide, dispensed from a small metal container by a propellant under pressure
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Also called: air spray. such a substance together with its container
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A substance consisting of very fine particles of a liquid or solid suspended in a gas. Mist, which consists of very fine droplets of water in air, is an aerosol.
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A liquid substance, such as paint, an insecticide, or a hair spray, packaged under pressure for use or application as a fine spray.
Etymology
Origin of aerosol
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A man in a hoodie and mask, who authorities said was Bradbury, walks into a kitchen with an aerosol can, allegedly a poison for bugs, and sprays everything in sight.
From Los Angeles Times
The pollution could disrupt aerosols in the atmosphere and their ability to moderate our climate and temperature.
From BBC
The study, published in Journal of Fluid Mechanics Rapids, updates a formula that is more than 100 years old and addresses a major gap in aerosol science.
From Science Daily
That earlier study identified several key drivers, including shrinking snow and ice cover, rising atmospheric moisture, and the influence of aerosol pollutants.
From Science Daily
Geoengineering experiments to reduce the Earth’s temperature with aerosols and modify ocean acidity are gathering pace.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
