solvent
B2Technical (chemistry), Formal (finance)
Definition
Meaning
A substance, typically a liquid, capable of dissolving other substances.
Having enough money to pay all debts and financial obligations; financially sound.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
In chemistry, refers to the dissolving agent. In finance, describes a positive financial state. The adjectival form often appears in phrases like 'remain solvent'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. In financial contexts, 'solvent' is equally common in both varieties. In chemistry, 'solvent' is the universal term.
Connotations
In business contexts, carries a strong positive connotation of stability and reliability.
Frequency
Higher frequency in technical and business writing than in everyday conversation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[company] remains solvent[substance] acts as a solvent for [material]dissolve [something] in a solventVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Stay/keep your head above water (financial synonym)”
- “In the black (financial synonym)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The board confirmed the company would remain solvent despite market turbulence.
Academic
The researcher used a polar solvent to dissolve the crystalline compound.
Everyday
We need a strong solvent to get this paint off the brush.
Technical
Acetone is a common aprotic solvent used in organic synthesis.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- White spirit is the preferred solvent for cleaning paintbrushes in the UK.
- The lab strictly controls solvent exposure for health and safety.
American English
- Use a mild solvent like rubbing alcohol to clean the surface.
- The chemical plant recycles its industrial solvents.
adjective
British English
- After the restructuring, the business is now solvent again.
- It's crucial for a pension fund to stay solvent long-term.
American English
- The company filed reports proving it was solvent.
- They needed a solvent buyer to acquire the assets.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Water is a solvent for sugar.
- The company has no debt; it is solvent.
- You need a special solvent to remove that glue.
- Many firms struggled to remain solvent during the crisis.
- The choice of solvent can drastically affect the chemical reaction rate.
- Regulators ensure banks hold enough capital to stay solvent.
- Supercritical fluids are increasingly employed as green solvents in manufacturing.
- The hedge fund's highly leveraged position raised doubts about its long-term solvency.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of SOLVENT solving a financial problem (SOLVing a debt) or solving/disSOLVing a substance.
Conceptual Metaphor
FINANCIAL HEALTH IS LIQUIDITY / PROBLEM-SOLVING IS DISSOLVING
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- False friend with 'сольвент' (a specific type of industrial thinner). In Russian, 'solvent' often narrowly means 'white spirit', whereas in English it's any dissolving agent.
- Confusing 'solvent' (adj) with 'soluble' (able to be dissolved).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'solvent' as a verb (incorrect: 'I will solvent this'; correct: 'I will dissolve this').
- Confusing 'solvent' (financially sound) with 'solvent' (liquid) in context.
Practice
Quiz
In a financial context, what does 'solvent' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It's more common in technical (chemistry) and formal (business/finance) contexts. In everyday talk, people might say 'cleaning fluid' or 'thinner' instead of 'solvent', and 'out of debt' or 'financially stable' instead of 'solvent'.
The solvent is the liquid that does the dissolving (e.g., water). The solute is the substance that gets dissolved (e.g., salt). The solution is the resulting mixture (e.g., saltwater).
No. The verb form related to the noun 'solvent' is 'dissolve'. 'Solvent' is only a noun or an adjective.
The direct opposite is 'insolvent', meaning unable to pay debts. Other related opposites include 'bankrupt' and 'broke'.