Repellencies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A class of substances that repel specific materials or organisms
2. materials designed to prevent adherence of liquids or pests
3. traits in organisms that deter predators or competitors from approaching

Etymology: "Repellencies" is the plural of "repellency", a noun formed from "repellent" plus the suffix "-cy". The base word "repellent" comes from the Latin verb "repellere", meaning "to drive back", built from "re-" (back) and "pellere" (to drive or push). The suffix "-cy" turns the adjective into a noun naming a quality or state, so "repellency" is simply the condition of being repellent. In the biological sense given here, the plural names the defensive traits that keep predators or rival organisms at a distance. A plant's bitter chemicals or an insect's foul-smelling secretions are examples of such repellencies. The word thus follows a familiar pattern: a classical verb meaning to push back, adapted into English as an adjective, and then extended by a suffix to name the quality itself.

Synonyms: repellents, deterrents