chemical

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English

Etymology

From chemic (“alchemy”) +‎ -al (“related to”).

Pronunciation

  • enPR: kĕm'ĭk-əl, IPA(key): /ˈkɛmɪkəl/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Audio (UK):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛmɪkəl

Adjective

chemical (not comparable)

  1. Of or relating to chemistry.
    chemical experiments
    the chemical properties of iron
    Pentalene has chemical formula C8H6
    • 1883, Science, volumes 1-2, page 279:
      The physiology of matter in the abstract is dynamical, that of mineral species is both dynamical and chemical, while that of organized forms is at once dynamical, chemical, and biotical.
    • 2006, Andrew Adamatzky, “Reaction-Diffusion Reactive Wetware”, in Tamio Arai, editor, Intelligent Autonomous Systems 9, IOS Press, page 3:
      We pinpoint all essential ingredients of intelligence found in spatio-temporal dynamics of nonlinear chemical systems, and show outlines of future designs and protypes of chemical intelligent "gooware".
  2. Of or relating to a material or processes not commonly found in nature or in a particular product.
  3. (obsolete) Of or relating to alchemy.

Translations

Further reading

Noun

chemical (plural chemicals)

  1. (chemistry, sciences) Any specific chemical element or chemical compound or alloy.
    Hydrogen and sulphur are both chemicals.
  2. (colloquial) An artificial chemical compound.
    I color my hair with henna, not chemicals.
    • 2025 January 15, “FDA moves to eliminate carcinogenic Red 3 from foods”, in Center for Science in the Public Interest‎:
      CSPI says the Trump Administration could take steps to protect consumers from each of these chemicals and support FDA’s broader post-market assessment efforts. It could ensure that FDA sets health-protective limits on heavy metals, like lead, arsenic, and cadmium, in foods consumed by children.
  3. (slang) An addictive drug.

Usage notes

  • The noun is frequently used in a slang and more specific non-technical way (2nd and 3rd definition) by the general public. Chemists and those who understand chemistry may gravitate toward the first, but the term "substance" is preferred usage.

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Derived terms

(terms derived from chemical (adjective and noun)):

See also

Anagrams

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