Solvent A bottle of acetic acid , a liquid solvent A bottle of acetic acid , a liquid solvent A solvent (from the Latin solvō , "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute (a chemically distinct liquid, solid or gas), resulting in a solution . A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid . The quantity of solute that can dissolve in a specific volume of solvent varies with temperature . Common uses for organic solvents are in dry cleaning (e.g. tetrachloroethylene ), as paint thinners (e.g. toluene , turpentine ), as nail polish removers and glue solvents ( acetone , methyl acetate , ethyl acetate ), in spot removers (e.g. hexane , petrol ether), in detergents ( citrus terpenes ) and in perfumes ( ethanol ). Water is a solvent for polar molecules and the most common...