Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
sternutator

sternutator

1 9.9
A chemical that makes people sneeze, cough, and cry to make a crowd leave
  • noun
  • /ˈstɜrn.juˌteɪ.tər/
  • Specialized
: estornudador
  • Exposure to the sternutator made everyone's eyes water uncontrollably.

Examples

  • The police used a sternutator to disperse the crowd.

  • The police released a sternutator into the crowd to disperse the protesters.

  • A sternutator can cause significant discomfort by inducing sneezing and coughing.

  • Many sternutators are effective in controlling riots.

  • The police utilized a sternutator to disperse the crowd during the protest.

  • After the demonstration, many people reported irritation from the sternutator used by the authorities.

  • The sternutator created a cloud of smoke that made everyone nearby start sneezing.

Synonyms

teargas
vssternutator
3 5.0

A gas that burns the eyes and makes people cry, used by police to break up crowds

adds sneezing and coughing effects beyond mainly eye irritation
tear-gas
vssternutator
  • NSFW
2 4.4

A chemical that makes eyes water and people cough to make crowds move away

is similar but also causes sneezing along with tears and coughing for control
chemical irritant
vssternutator
  • Specialized
1 4.8

A substance that makes skin, eyes or breathing feel sore, like tear gas

is more specific, used for riot control and causes sneezing, coughing, and tears
lachrymator
vssternutator
  • UK
1 9.9

A gas or spray that makes your eyes water and sting, often used by police

also causes sneezing and coughing as well as tears for riot control
sternutatory
vssternutator
  • Specialized
9.9

A substance that makes people sneeze and their eyes water

is mainly used for riot control rather than only as an irritant

Surface Forms

sternutator singular
sternutators plural

Morphology

sternutator = sternut + ator

Formed from the Latin combining element 'sternut-' (sneeze) + the agentive suffix '-ator', but neither element is a familiar productive English morpheme for average learners, so meaning is not recoverable from known base words.

Etymology

The word sternutator comes from the Latin sternutare, which means 'to sneeze'. So a sternutator is something that makes people sneeze, cough, or cry, which is why such chemicals are used by police to make crowds leave.