aerosol

noun

1
: a suspension of fine solid or liquid particles in gas
Smoke, fog, and mist are aerosols.
airborne aerosol transmission of infective viral particles
also, aerosols plural : the fine particles of an aerosol
stratospheric aerosols
2
: a substance (such as an insecticide or medicine) dispensed from a pressurized container as an aerosol
also : the container for this

Examples of aerosol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web According to Stevens and resources from the City of Milwaukee, these categories of items can be safely recycled in the city's curbside program: Cans: Aluminum and steel cans including beverages, food and aerosols. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024 While greenhouse gases, volcanic eruptions and aerosols are known to affect global temperatures, perhaps the full extent of their effects have been underestimated or miscalibrated. Hayley Smith Los Angeles Times (tns), arkansasonline.com, 1 Apr. 2024 From spraying it on fabrics to using it as your room’s aerosol, the fragrance is multi-use and comes as an incense as well. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 15 Mar. 2024 In 2022, 32 aerosol dry shampoos and dry conditioners were voluntarily recalled due to possible benzene contamination. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 8 Mar. 2024 Volcanoes can substantially cool the climate by spewing plumes of aerosols into the atmosphere, like ship emissions do, but this one instead fired 146 trillion grams of water vapor into the sky, equivalent to 58,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. Matt Simon, WIRED, 12 Jan. 2024 These include lower emissions of cooling aerosols from shipping, a peak in the solar cycle, and high levels of water vapor in the stratosphere due to the eruption of the Hunga Tonga volcano. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 9 Jan. 2024 Some researchers have also noted that recent changes in shipping regulations removed some atmospheric aerosols that were reflecting heat from reaching the planet. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 The information is expected to help scientists make better climate predictions, by revealing how aerosols in the atmosphere interact with greenhouse gases and reflect sunlight back to space, said Otto Hasekamp, an atmospheric scientist with the Netherlands Institute for Space Research. USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aerosol.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

aero- + -sol (in hydrosol)

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of aerosol was in 1923

Dictionary Entries Near aerosol

Cite this Entry

“Aerosol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aerosol. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

aerosol

noun
aero·​sol ˈar-ə-ˌsäl How to pronounce aerosol (audio) ˈer- How to pronounce aerosol (audio)
-ˌsȯl
: a mixture of fine solid or liquid particles and gas
smoke and fog are aerosols

Medical Definition

aerosol

noun
aero·​sol ˈar-ə-ˌsäl How to pronounce aerosol (audio) ˈer- How to pronounce aerosol (audio)
-ˌsȯl
1
: a suspension of fine solid or liquid particles in gas
smoke, fog, and mist are aerosols
2
: a substance (as an insecticide or medicine) dispensed from a pressurized container as an aerosol
also : the container for this

More from Merriam-Webster on aerosol

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