Repellent

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Pronunciation: /ɹəˈpɛlənt/

Definitions

1. Something that drives away or causes strong dislike or disgust through its unpleasant nature
2. A material or mechanism that effectively wards off unwanted creatures or evokes a strong sense of aversion due to its characteristics
3. Tending to provoke a feeling of dislike or disgust in people ; a composition used to keep insects or other animals at bay

Etymology: "Repellent" is a straightforward formation: it comes from Latin "repellens," the present participle of "repellere," meaning "to drive back." That verb combined "re-," "back," with "pellere," "to drive or push," the same root behind English "impel" and "expel." The Latin participle gave English a word that describes whatever pushes something away. The word has moved in two directions from that physical sense. As an adjective, it can describe a substance that repels water or insects, a sense that stays close to the original idea of driving something off. As a noun, it can describe a product, such as an insect spray, designed to keep pests away. The more figurative sense, something so unpleasant that people recoil from it, grew out of the same pushing-back idea applied to feelings rather than objects.

Synonyms: repulsive, offensive, disgusting, deterrent

Antonyms: attractive, appealing, inviting