Retardants

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Chemical substances intended to decrease the speed of a reaction or event; compounds employed to restrict the propagation of flames in various environments; materials selected to act as barriers against rapid processes or undesirable reactions in different fields
2. Materials used to decelerate chemical reactions or physical changes ; compounds applied to inhibit or slow the spread of fire
3. Chemicals designed to reduce the pace of processes or reactions ; elements that help control and stop flames from spreading quickly

Etymology: "Retardant" comes from the Latin "retardare," meaning to make slow or hold back. It combines "re-" with "tardare," which derives from "tardus," meaning slow. The same stem gives English "tardy," which originally meant late, and "retard," a verb for delaying something. In its scientific sense, a retardant is a substance that holds back a chemical reaction or physical process. The fire sense is the one most people encounter, where such compounds are applied to materials to slow the spread of flames. The Latin root describes the job exactly: the substance makes something slower.

Synonyms: inhibitors, delayers