Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
💥 Causing blisters 💥 A blister agent
vesicant

vesicant

9.9
A substance that causes blisters on the skin and inside the mouth or nose
  • noun
  • /ˈvɛsɪkənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vesicante
  • Mustard gas is a notorious vesicant used during World War I combat.

Examples

  • Healthcare professionals must handle vesicant drugs with extreme caution to prevent accidental injury.

  • A vesicant can cause severe burns.

  • Exposure to the vesicant caused severe blisters on the worker's hands and arms.

  • The chemical agent was identified as a potent vesicant.

  • The soldiers were trained to recognize the effects of vesicants like mustard gas during their combat preparations.

  • Exposure to vesicants can lead to severe skin blisters and respiratory issues.

  • After the chemical attack, the area was deemed unsafe due to the presence of vesicants in the air.

Synonyms

vesicatory
vsvesicant
  • Specialized
9.9

A chemical that causes blisters on the skin

is focused on chemical agents often associated with warfare rather than medical use
blistering agent
vsvesicant
  • NSFW
9.9

A harmful chemical that causes severe blisters on skin and damages eyes and lungs, often used as a weapon

is the general term for blistering substances not only weaponized ones

Surface Forms

vesicant singular
vesicants plural

Morphology

vesicant = vesicate (opaque) = vesic + ant

Formed from the rare medical verb 'vesicate' + '-ant'; the component verb and combining form are specialist vocabulary not likely known by average learners.

Etymology

Vesicant comes from the Latin word vesica meaning 'blister' or 'small bladder', and you can see the same root in vesicle. So a vesicant (noun) is a substance or chemical that makes blisters on the skin or inside the body.