Is water a solute or solvent?

Water is a solvent. A solvent is a material in which a solute dissolves to form a solution. The solvent determines the physical state of the solution. For example, in a solution of sugar and water, sugar is the solute that dissolves in water, which is the solvent. The resultant solution is liquid, which is the same physical state as water. Water is known as the universal solvent because of its ability to dissolve almost any material better than any other liquid. The main reason water makes an excellent solvent is because of its polarity and ability to form hydrogen bonds easily, which allows it to dissolve many different types of molecules.