repellent
UK[rɪˈpɛlənt]US[rɪˈpɛlənt]
adj
Causing disgust or distaste; repulsive.
adj
Able to repel a particular thing, especially insects or moisture.
n
A substance used to repel something, especially insects.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
pell
ent
re
back/again
pell
drive
ent
adjective/noun suffix
Etymology
The word "repellent" originates from the Latin verb repellere, a compound of the prefix re- ("back") and pellere ("to drive, push"). The literal meaning, "to drive back", is vividly preserved in its modern applications, such as a substance that drives insects away. Over time, the sense of forcefully pushing something away evolved metaphorically to include the idea of causing a strong psychological aversion, hence the meaning of being offensive or disgusting. The suffix -ent forms the adjective and noun, describing something or someone that performs the action of repelling.
Analysis
Structure: re (back/again) + pell (drive) + ent (adjective/noun suffix)
re: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "back" or "again".
pell: Latin origin, from the verb pellere, meaning "to drive, to push".
ent: Latin origin, an adjectival suffix meaning "doing or performing an action", also used to form agent nouns.
Examples
The smell of the chemical was utterly repellent.
Apply mosquito repellent before going into the woods.
His arrogant attitude is repellent to most people.