antifreeze

noun

an·​ti·​freeze ˈan-ti-ˌfrēz How to pronounce antifreeze (audio)
1
: a substance added to a liquid (such as the water in an automobile engine) to lower its freezing point
2
: any of various substances (such as proteins or alcohols) that are found in some living organisms (such as certain fish and insects) and serve to lower the freezing point of body fluids especially by limiting ice crystal growth

Examples of antifreeze in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Loading your audio article A woman found dead in her Burlington home last month, hours before she was scheduled to be sentenced in the death of her husband, died by suicide after ingesting antifreeze, an autopsy showed. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 12 Aug. 2024 This barrier to nucleation is like being at the top of a sea cliff on a hot day, said Konrad Meister, a biophysical chemist at Boise State University who studies biological antifreezes and ice-nucleating substances. Quanta Magazine, 17 June 2024 The incident occurred on Oct. 1, 2020, and Jack was arrested weeks later after his daughter grew sick and tested positive for ethylene glycol, a chemical commonly found in antifreeze. Evan Rosen, New York Daily News, 13 Apr. 2024 But Jupiter has managed to whip up liquid water high up in its atmosphere, thanks to the presence of ammonia gas that acts as an antifreeze. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for antifreeze 

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of antifreeze was in 1903

Dictionary Entries Near antifreeze

Cite this Entry

“Antifreeze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antifreeze. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

antifreeze

noun
an·​ti·​freeze ˈant-i-ˌfrēz How to pronounce antifreeze (audio)
: a substance added to a liquid (as the water in an automobile radiator) to prevent freezing

More from Merriam-Webster on antifreeze

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!