Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- 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.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun chemistry A surface active agent, or
wetting agent , capable ofreducing thesurface tension of aliquid ; typicallyorganic compounds having ahydrophilic "head " and ahydrophobic "tail ". - noun biochemistry A
lipoprotein in thetissues of thelung that reduces surface tension and permits more efficientgas transport .
from 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
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Synthetic surfactant is used to help immature lungs rest and heal.
Glossary 2010
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Dr. Avery ultimately identified a mix of fat and proteins in the lungs that came to be called surfactant.
NYT > Home Page By DOUGLAS MARTIN 2012
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One educational way to employ a magnet to use it to purify water that has been contaminated with a surfactant, which is a material that can lower the surface tension in water.
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= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Oxycyte oxygen carrier is a perfluorocarbon emulsified with water and a surfactant, which is provided to the patient intravenously.
Presseportal.de 2010
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= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Oxycyte oxygen carrier is a perfluorocarbon emulsified with water and a surfactant, which is provided to the patient intravenously.
Presseportal.ch 2010
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Thanks to the March of Dimes, a substance called surfactant had been developed that helped a premature baby's undeveloped lungs work.
Inside TV Blog Laura Malerba Williams 2010
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Doctors had to give Cowan an emergency C-section and put the infant on a breathing tube, using a method called surfactant therapy, to allow Sara to breathe.
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They are encased in water using a surfactant, which is similar to soap, and then spun in a centrifuge.
Scientific Blogging 2009
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Doctors had to give Cowan an emergency C-section and put the infant on a breathing tube, using a method called surfactant therapy, to allow Sara to breathe.
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Your baby’s lungs mature, too, and begin to produce a substance called surfactant, which helps the tiny alveoli air sacs stay inflated after birth.
The Official Lamaze® Guide Judith Lothian RN 2010
recombinantdna commented on the word surfactant
(SURF)ace (ACT)ive (A)ge(NT)
No one seems to pronounce a /t/ at the end, leaving the ending closer to the /In/ seen in so many hormones.
June 3, 2008
mollusque commented on the word surfactant
I pronounce it.
June 4, 2008
bilby commented on the word surfactant
I pronounce myself also a pronouncer.
June 4, 2008
recombinantdna commented on the word surfactant
I prefer it silent. But then, I have professor-worship issues: however they say, goes.
June 10, 2008
Prolagus commented on the word surfactant
I'll pronounce it suTTTTTT, just to annoy you.
June 10, 2008
recombinantdna commented on the word surfactant
I should think the difficulty of pronouncing it such would inconvenience you more than the pain of hearing it would me.
June 11, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word surfactant
I like this word.
June 11, 2008
yarb commented on the word surfactant
Me too. I love the tongue-tapping 't' at the end.
June 11, 2008