Anticorrosive

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A substance designed to prevent or inhibit corrosion on metals and surfaces
2. Referring to materials that can protect against rust and degradation caused by moisture or chemicals
3. Pertaining to agents that safeguard metal components from deteriorating effects of oxidation and environmental exposure

Etymology: "Anticorrosive" is a plain compound of the prefix "anti-", meaning "against", and "corrosive", which comes from Latin "corrodere", meaning "to gnaw away" (from "com-", intensive, plus "rodere", "to gnaw"). The sense of "corrosive" tracks a literal picture: something that eats into a surface bit by bit, as a rodent gnaws through wood. The adjective is built in English by joining the two parts, so its meaning follows directly from them: a substance or coating that works against that gnawing action. Paint primers, metal coatings and certain chemical treatments are typical examples. Because the word is a transparent combination of familiar elements, its meaning is clear from its parts, and there is little hidden history beyond the Latin verb behind "corrosive".

Synonyms: protective, resistant, preservative, defensive, guarding

Antonyms: corrosive, damaging, destructive, eroding, decomposing