The substance that makes something dissolve is called a solvent.

Here's a breakdown:

* Solute: The substance that dissolves (e.g., sugar, salt).

* Solvent: The substance that does the dissolving (e.g., water, alcohol).

* Solution: The homogeneous mixture formed when the solute dissolves in the solvent.

For example, when you add sugar to water, the sugar is the solute and the water is the solvent. The sugar dissolves in the water, creating a sugar solution.