antifouling
|an-ti-foul-ing|
/ˌæn.tiˈfaʊ.lɪŋ/
against fouling
Etymology
'antifouling' originates from Modern English, specifically the compound of 'anti' and 'fouling', where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'foul' meant 'dirty or unclean'.
'anti-' comes from Greek 'anti' (ἄντι) meaning 'against' and entered English via Latin and later Modern English usage; 'foul' comes from Old English 'fūl' meaning 'dirty' or 'rotten', and the gerund/noun 'fouling' developed to mean the act or result of making foul (attachment or encrustation). Together they formed the compound 'antifouling' in modern maritime and industrial contexts.
Initially it literally meant 'against fouling' in a general sense; over time the term became specialized to refer especially to coatings and treatments that prevent marine organism attachment to submerged surfaces.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a coating, paint, or treatment applied to the hull of a ship or other submerged structures to prevent marine organisms (barnacles, algae, etc.) from attaching (biofouling).
The ship was given a new layer of antifouling before the long voyage.
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Adjective 1
designed or intended to prevent fouling (the unwanted accumulation of organisms or deposits) on surfaces exposed to water.
They applied an antifouling layer to the hull to reduce maintenance.
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Last updated: 2025/09/01 08:46