What Does Solvent Mean?

Solvent may mean three things. In its adjective form it may refer to something that is capable of meeting some sort of financial obligation. In its noun form a solvent is some substance in which some other substance is dissolved thereby forming a solution. In this case the substance that is dissolved is called a solute. For instance, if Benzene is dissolved in a water solution then benzene will be the solute while water is the solvent.
Water is the most commonly used solvent. Other frequently-used solvents are organic chemicals or those that contain carbon. These are known as organic solvents. Solvents generally have a relatively low boiling point and have the capacity to evaporate easily or can be easily removed by distillation, thus leaving only the dissolved substance behind. Thus Solvents should never react chemically with any of the dissolved compounds — they must be inert. Solvents may also be used in order to extract soluble compounds from a particular mixture, like for example brewing coffee or tea with hot water. Unusually, solvents are clear and often colourless liquids. Many of them have a characteristic odour.

Something that can dissolve in water