noun / adjective

repellent

rih-PEL-unt/rɪˈpelənt/

Having the effect of driving something away.

The spoiled food's repellent smell makes the person recoil from the bin.

An adult recoils and covers their nose from a small pile of visibly spoiled food in an open bin, disgust recognizable but not grotesque.

Etymology

reLatinback

+pellLatinto drive, strike

+entLatinpresent-participle ending

Literally “driving back,” repellent shifted from having a physical repelling effect to provoking aversion. Something repellent figuratively drives people away by arousing strong dislike or disgust.

In context

This Week in Science (TWIS)44:00

when they used a repellent odor everybody fled at the same rate

Live Long Because Science! - This Week in Science Podcast (TWIS) - Episode 602

More examples

The tent has a water-repellent coating.
Some insect repellents need to be reapplied after swimming.
She finds his cruel jokes repellent.

Forms

repellent · repellents

repel verb — To drive away or keep out.

Similar words

deterrent: Discourages approach or action rather than directly driving something away.
resistant: Withstands penetration or damage rather than driving something away.