A #"solute"# is a material, gas, solid, or liquid, #"the solute"#, that is dispersed homogeneously in another (or the same) phase. The more abundant material is usually described as the #"solvent"#.
The #"solute"# may be separated from a #"liquid solution"# by crystallization of the #"solute"#, or by distillation of the #"solvent"#.