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abradant

abradant

9.7
Something that wears down or smooths a surface by rubbing
  • noun
  • /əˈbrædənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : abrasivo
  • Grinding wheels are a common type of abradant in metalworking shops.

Examples

  • The technician used an abradant to smooth the rough edges of the metal piece.

  • Many abradants are used in woodworking.

  • Selecting the right abradant can make polishing surfaces much more efficient.

  • An abradant is essential for polishing metal surfaces.

  • The technician used an abradant to smooth the rough edges of the metal piece.

  • Selecting the right abradant can make polishing surfaces much more efficient.

  • Grinding wheels are a common type of abradant in metalworking shops.

Synonyms

abrasive
vsabradant
2 5.7

A material used to grind or polish surfaces by rubbing

is broader, including both such substances and the tools that apply them
abrader
vsabradant
  • Specialized
9.5

A tool like a file or wheel that wears a surface smooth by rubbing

is broader, covering tools, materials, and substances used to abrade
abrading stone
vsabradant
  • Specialized
8.5

A stone people rub on other objects to smooth or sharpen them

is more general, covering modern tools and nonstone materials too
abrasive material
vsabradant
  • Specialized
4.2

A hard thing like sandpaper or diamond that wears down and smooths surfaces

is broader and also covers tools that perform the same wearing action

How Abrasive

grinder
  • Specialized
27 2.5
to sandpaper
1 5.1
abradant
  • Specialized
9.7
polisher
5 2.7

Surface Forms

abradant singular
abradants plural

Morphology

abradant = abrade (transparent) = abrad + ant

Formed by adding the agentive/adjectival suffix '-ant' to the verb 'abrade' (with orthographic loss of the final -e), yielding 'something that abrades'.

Etymology

Abradant comes from the same root as abrade and abrasive, from an old word radere meaning 'to scrape' or 'wear away'. Think of sandpaper or a grinding wheel scraping a surface—an abradant is anything that does that, so it wears down, smooths, or polishes by friction.