repellent: Meaning and Definition of

re•pel•lent

Pronunciation: (ri-pel'unt), [key]
— 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.
  1. something that repels, as a substance that keeps away insects.
  2. a medicine that serves to prevent or reduce swellings, tumors, etc.
  3. any of various durable or nondurable solutions applied to a fabric, garment, surface, etc., to increase its resistance, as to water, moths, mildew, etc.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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