Reactant
/riˈæktənt/noun
A substance present in and consumed by a chemical reaction.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin *re-* (“back, again”) + *agere* (“to do, drive”), the same ancient root behind words of action, agency, and performance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ag-
“to drive, lead, do”
Latin
Latin
agere
“to drive, set in motion, do”
Latin
Latin
reagere
“to drive back, respond, react”
Late Latin
Latin
reactant-
“acting back; reacting”
19th Century
English
reactant
“a substance that takes part in a chemical reaction”