Pronunciation: [sˈɒlvənt] (IPA) 
The word "solvent" can be tricky to spell because of the silent 't' at the end. The IPA transcription for "solvent" is /ˈsɒlvənt/. This breaks down to "sawlv" for the first syllable, "uh" for the second syllable, and a barely audible "nt" sound for the final consonant cluster. To remember the spelling, it may be helpful to think of the word as having the same root as "solve" and "solution."
A solvent is a substance that has the ability to dissolve other substances, particularly solutes, resulting in the formation of a solution. It is commonly characterized by its high molecular interaction capacity and ability to break the intermolecular forces between solute particles. Solvents can be found in various states, including liquids, gases, and even supercritical fluids.
In chemistry, solvents are widely used for a multitude of purposes, such as extracting, purifying, and dissolving substances. They often play a vital role in industrial processes, research laboratories, and everyday life. Different solvents possess varying capabilities to dissolve specific substances due to their diverse chemical properties, such as polarity, boiling point, and vapor pressure.
The most common example of a solvent is water, which serves as a universal solvent due to its high polarity and ability to dissolve a wide range of solutes. Other widely used solvents include ethanol, acetone, and methanol. However, solvents can also be organic compounds like benzene, toluene, or chloroform.
It is important to note that solvents can have potential health and environmental impacts, and their selection should be carefully considered based on safety requirements, compatibility with the solute, and intended application.
1. Capable of dissolving. 2. A menstruum, a liquid which holds another substance in solution.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
• Having the power of loosening or dissolving; able or sufficient to pay all just debts, applied to a person or an estate.
• Anything that dissolves another; a fluid in which a solid may be dissolved.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "solvent" comes from the Latin word "solvēns" (present participle of "solvō"), which means "loosening" or "dissolving". The Latin word itself traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root "*sleu-", which means "to loosen" or "to untie". From this root, other related words in English and other languages were derived, such as "dissolve", "solution", and "soluble".
