Surfactant

ahd-5
  • noun. A surface-active substance.
  • noun. A substance composed of lipoprotein that is secreted by the alveolar cells of the lung and serves to maintain the stability of pulmonary tissue by reducing the surface tension of fluids that coat the lung.
    • Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
  • noun. A surface active agent, or wetting agent, capable of reducing the surface tension of a liquid; typically organic compounds having a hydrophilic "head" and a hydrophobic "tail".
  • noun. A lipoprotein in the tissues of the lung that reduces surface tension and permits more efficient gas transport.
    • WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
  • noun. a chemical agent capable of reducing the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved
    • Word Usage
    "Synthetic surfactant is used to help immature lungs rest and heal."
    Hypernym
    Words that are more generic or abstract
    chemical agent  
    Hyponym
    Words that are more specific
    detergent  emulsifier  
    Same Context
    Words that are found in similar contexts
    additive  antioxidant  cell-surface  chiral  cytoplasmic  
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