non-ionic detergent
- noun
- /nɒnˈaɪənɪk dɪˈtɜːrdʒənt/
- Specialized
- A non-ionic detergent is preferred in laboratories because it is less likely to interfere with biochemical assays.
Examples
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Industrial cleaners often contain non-ionic detergent to avoid the formation of soap scum in hard water.
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Many household products now use non-ionic detergents for their effective cleaning and low foaming properties.
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A non-ionic detergent is effective for cleaning delicate fabrics.
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Many manufacturers use non-ionic detergents in their products.
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In laboratories, a non-ionic detergent is commonly used because it does not affect biochemical reactions.
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To prevent soap scum from forming in hard water, many industrial cleaners include non-ionic detergent in their formulations.
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For effective cleaning without excessive foam, many household products contain non-ionic detergents.
Surface Forms
Morphology
non-ionic + detergent
The phrase is fully compositional: 'detergent' = cleaning substance and 'non-ionic' = not forming ions, so the meaning 'a detergent whose molecules do not ionize in water' is directly derivable from the parts. The negation prefix 'non-' plus the adjective 'ionic' follows common cross-linguistic patterns, making this term transparent to a learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Non-ionic detergent is a name that tells its meaning: non-ionic means the molecules are 'not charged' in water and detergent means a cleaning agent. Because the molecules have 'no charge', these cleaners do not react with other charged substances, so they clean without making soap scum and are gentle in lab tests.