▪ an inert fluid, liquefied under pressure, in which the active contents of an aerosol are dispersed: "the main uses of CFCs are in aerosols as propellants"
▪ an explosive that fires bullets from a firearm: "the common gun propellants are either nitrocellulose or a mixture of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine"
▪ a substance used as a reagent in a rocket engine to provide thrust:"rocket propellants"
adjective
1. capable of propelling something:"propellant gases"
Word Originmid 17th century: originally from Latin propellent- ‘driving ahead (of oneself)’, from the verb propellere, later from propel.