Word of the Day
17 March 2026
ablative
adjectiveMarine and shipyard
Sacrificial, wearing away or being destroyed in order to protect the underlying material, as in ablative paints used for antifouling, or ablative heat shields used to protect spacecraft during reentry. .
Why this one
From the Latin for carrying away, and the design intent is the opposite of most coatings: the film is meant to leave, taking fouling with it. Hulls that sit idle for months do not get the wear the system depends on.
In use
She's on an ablative system, so once she's back in service the water flow keeps the surface shedding and the weed won't take hold.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.