Sorbent
/ˈsɔːr.bənt/noun
A substance that absorbs or adsorbs another material.
Did you know?Sorbent comes from Latin roots tied to *sorbere*, meaning “to suck in” or “swallow,” the same ancient image behind words like sorbet and absorb.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
sorbere
“to suck in, sip, swallow”
Late Latin
Latin
sorbens
“sucking in, absorbing”
Middle French
French
sorbant
“absorbing”
19th Century
English
sorbent
“an absorbing substance”
Modern English
English
sorbent
“a material that absorbs or adsorbs another substance”