reagent

/ɹiˈeɪ.d͡ʒənt/

ɹIEꞮ · d͡ʒənt (2 syllables)

English Noun

Definition

A compound or mixture of compounds used to treat or test materials, samples, other compounds or reactants in a laboratory or sometimes an industrial setting.

Etymology

Possibly from Latin reagō. Compare with Norwegian Bokmål reagens. The sequence of act → action → agent → agency shows morphologic and semantic parallel, and apparent cognate relation, with react → reaction → reagent → reagency.