Definition
As an adjective, causing disgust or distaste; driving away or warding off. As a noun, a substance used to repel insects, animals, or other unwanted things.
Etymology
From Latin repellere, combining re- (back, away) and pellere (to drive or push). The word entered English in the 17th century, initially meaning 'driving back' before developing its modern sense of 'disgusting' or 'protective substance.'
Kelly Says
The word 'repellent' captures both physical and emotional pushing away - we can find someone's behavior repellent or spray insect repellent on our skin. This dual usage shows how our language often mirrors the way physical and psychological forces work similarly.
Translations
CACatalà
repel·lent
re-pel-len-t
CSČeština
odpuzovač
od-poo-zo-vach
DADansk
afvisende
af-vis-en-de
DEDeutsch
Abwehrmittel
ah-veh-erm-it-tel
ELΕλληνικά
αποτρεπτικό
a-pot-rep-ti-ko
ESEspañol
repelente
re-pel-en-te
FISuomi
hyökkäys
hyok-ka-ys
FRFrançais
répulsif
re-pul-sif
HEעברית
משתמש
misht-am-esh
HUMagyar
taszító
tas-zee-toh
IDBahasa Indonesia
pengusir
peng-oo-sir
ITItaliano
repellente
re-pel-len-te
MSBahasa Melayu
pelanggar
pe-lan-gar
MYမြန်မာ
ကျွန်တော်
kyun-taw
NLNederlands
afwermer
af-wer-mer
NONorsk
avvisende
av-vis-en-de
PAPA
ਮੁਕਾਬਲੇ
mu-ka-ba-lay
PLPolski
odstraszacz
od-stra-sha-ch
PTPortuguês
repelente
re-pel-en-te
RORomână
repellent
re-pel-len-t
RUРусский
отпугиватель
ot-pug-i-va-tel
SVSvenska
avvisande
av-vis-an-de
SWKiswahili
mnyama
m-ny-a-ma
TAதமிழ்
தேவையற்ற
de-va-yar-rat
TEతెలుగు
అవసరం లేదు
a-va-sa-ram le-du
THไทย
ไล่แมลง
lai-mae-long
UKУкраїнська
відлякувач
vid-ly-ka-vach
VITiếng Việt
thuốc chống muỗi
thoo-oc chong muoi
ZUZU
isibindi
ee-si-bin-di