humectant

H4U1M3E1C3T1A1N1T1
/hjuːˈmɛktənt/

noun

Any substance that promotes the retention of water, especially one used to keep a food product moist.

OriginLatin ūmectāns →
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Meanings

nounhumectant (plural humectants)

plural humectants

  1. Any substance that promotes the retention of water, especially one used to keep a food product moist.

    Sorbitol is an excellent humectant and is used to extend the shelf life of many baked goods and fillings.

    2010, Peter Hull, Glucose Syrups: Technology and Applications, page 114
    2 more examples

    […] that you have induced a horrid phlegmatic condition with will soon require a liberal and generous humectant to keep the very membranes of your very entrails from desquamating, chipping off and blocking up all the pipes of your body.

    1911, Hampton's Magazine, volume 27, number 1, page 462

    The humectant is preferably added at this stage, subsequent to centrifuging, because it increases the viscosity of the slurry. The centrifuged material with the combined humectant is then dried to remove all or most of the water.

    1973, Ronald W. James, Desiccants and humectants, page 285

Origin

  1. Latinūmectāns
  2. Englishhumectant

From Latin ūmectāns, present participle of ūmectō (“to moisten”), from ūmectus (“moist”), from ūmeō (“to be moist”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 保濕劑 /保湿剂
  • 保濕劑 /保湿剂 (bǎoshījì)substance that promotes the retention of water
Finnish kosteudensäilyttäjä, kosteudensitoja
  • kosteudensäilyttäjäsubstance that promotes the retention of water
  • kosteudensitojasubstance that promotes the retention of water
  • humektanttisubstance that promotes the retention of water
German Feuchthaltemittel
  • Feuchthaltemittelsubstance that promotes the retention of water
Greek υγραντικό
  • υγραντικό (ygrantikó)substance that promotes the retention of water
Icelandic rakaefni, rakagjafi
  • rakaefnisubstance that promotes the retention of water
  • rakagjafisubstance that promotes the retention of water
Portuguese humectante
  • humectantesubstance that promotes the retention of water
Russian увлажни́тель
  • увлажни́тель (uvlažnítelʹ)substance that promotes the retention of water
Spanish humectante
  • humectantesubstance that promotes the retention of water
Cite this entry
APA

humectant. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/humectant

MLA

“humectant.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/humectant. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “humectant,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/humectant.

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