Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

chemical

Pronunciation: /ˈkɛmɪk(ə)l/

Translate chemical | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of chemical

adjective

  • relating to chemistry, or the interactions of substances as studied in chemistry:the chemical composition of the atmosphere
  • relating to chemicals:chemical treatments for killing fungi
  • relating to or denoting the use of poison gas or other chemicals as weapons of war.

noun

  • a distinct compound or substance, especially one which has been artificially prepared or purified:never mix disinfectant with other chemicals
  • an addictive drug: [as modifier]:chemical dependency

Derivatives

chemically

adverb

Origin:

late 16th century: from French chimique or modern Latin chimicus, chymicus, from medieval Latin alchymicus, from alchimia (see alchemy)

chemical in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of chemical in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

  |  Cite

More words in this category

Word of the day

offing

/ ˈɒfɪŋ /
noun
the more distant part of the sea in view …