diluyente
/diluʝente/from spelling rules
The Spanish word for thinner (as a liquid) is diluyente.
In a technical context, diluyente refers specifically to the liquid used to reduce the viscosity of paints, varnishes or lacquers.
Meaning: liquid (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word diluyente is derived from the verb diluir (to dilute) and refers to an agent that thins or dilutes a substance.
Which one should you use?
While diluyente is used specifically for thinning a liquid, the term disolvente is a more general word for any solvent that dissolves a substance.
How do you pronounce it?
/diluʝente/
Did you know?
- While diluyente is for liquids, if you want to describe a person who is thin, you would use delgado, as the words for thinning a paint and being thin are not related.
- In some Latin American hardware stores, you might see thinner written in English on the cans, as the English term has been adopted as a loanword in industrial settings.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, painters rarely use the technical term diluyente and instead call it aguarrás, which refers specifically to turpentine.
Examples in context
- Ella está más delgada que antesShe is thinner than before
- Mi perro está más flaquito que antesMy dog is thinner than before
- Necesito comprar un diluyente para la pintura.I need to buy a thinner for the paint.
- El diluyente está en el estante de abajo.The thinner is on the bottom shelf.
- ¿Tienes un poco de diluyente de sobra?Do you have a little extra thinner?
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are painting a room together.
- SofíaMateo, la pintura está demasiado espesa.Mateo, the paint is too thick.
- Mateo¿Tienes el diluyente a mano?Do you have the thinner handy?
- SofíaSí, está sobre la mesa.Yes, it is on the table.
- MateoPerfecto, voy a añadirle un poco.Perfect, I'm going to add some.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
