BHT

B3H4T1

A form of butylated hydroxytoluene — A substituted phenol used as a fat-soluble antioxidant in some food.

UncommonScrabble 8

Meanings

nounBHT (uncountable)
  1. abbreviationinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of butylated hydroxytoluene.

    The group said that the preservative was unnecessary, and that it was possible to find competing products side by side on grocery shelves, some with BHT and others without it.

    1977 July 28, “BHT, A Food Preservative, Called Dangerous to the Public's Health”, in The New York Times
    2 more examples

    Among the effective agents, studies in animals and people indicate, are the preservatives BHA and BHT, which are commonly added to cereals and baked goods, and a group of chemicals naturally present in such vegetables as cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli.

    1979 March 6, Jane E. Brody, “Cancer‐Blocking Agents Found in Foods”, in The New York Times

    Although BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are avoided by some consumers because several studies have suggested they may be toxic or carcinogenic (they are banned in Britain), these antioxidants have also been shown to inhibit the action of cancer-causing chemicals, and BHT has been shown to suppress the growth of harmful viruses.

    1985 May 1, Jane E. Brody, “PERSONAL HEALTH; HOW INNOVATIONS AFFECT SAFETY AND NUTRITION”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 28 Nov 2017
  2. abbreviationinitialismuncountableInitialism of black hairy tongue.
  3. abbreviationuncountableAbbreviation of bacteriohopanetetrol.

Synonyms & antonyms

Cite this entry
APA

BHT. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/BHT

MLA

“BHT.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/BHT. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “BHT,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/BHT.

Source: BHT on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.