Glossary
solvent
The solvent is the substance that does the dissolving — usually the greater amount, like the water in salt water.
The solvent is the substance that does the dissolving in a solution — usually the one present in the greater amount, such as the water in salt water. Water is the most common solvent, which is why solutions in chemistry are so often water-based. The substance it dissolves is the solute, usually the lesser amount. Together they make a solution, a uniform mixture you cannot separate by filtering. The common error is to call the water the solute; the solvent is usually the greater amount and it is the one doing the dissolving.
Taught in
Related terms
- solute — The solute is the substance that dissolves in a solvent — usually the lesser amount, like the salt in salt water.
- solubility — Solubility is how much of a solute will dissolve in a given amount of solvent; for most solid solutes it rises with temperature.
Source: OpenStax Chemistry 1e and Chemistry: Atoms First 1e, first editions (CC BY 4.0). Each definition restates the Chemistry guide in this exam, which carries the per-source citations on its own page. (OpenStax 1e accessed 2026-10-08)