Antiperspirants

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Substances applied to the skin to reduce perspiration by blocking sweat glands
2. products used to prevent body odor and moisture in areas prone to sweating
3. formulations that often contain aluminum compounds to help manage sweat production

Etymology: Antiperspirants are the plural of "antiperspirant", and the word is built from two parts: the prefix "anti-", meaning against, and "perspirant", a term for something that induces or relates to perspiration. Put together, the sense is simply "against perspiration," which is exactly what the product does. The word is a transparent compound rather than a borrowing, so its history lies in the plain meaning of its parts. The plural appears here because the word names a whole category of products, each one a kind of antiperspirant, and the plural form simply covers the category as a whole.

Synonyms: deodorants, perspiration inhibitors, sweat reducers, body fresheners, anti-sweat products