Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of or relating to chemistry.
  • adjective Of or relating to the properties or actions of chemicals.
  • adjective Of or relating to chemical weapons.
  • noun A substance with a distinct molecular composition that is produced by or used in a chemical process.
  • noun A drug, especially an illicit or addictive one.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Versed in chemistry; engaged in the study of chemistry or in chemical research or investigation: as, a chemical philosopher; a chemical friend.
  • Of or pertaining to alchemy or alchemists. Also chymical.
  • Pertaining to chemistry: as, a chemical experiment.
  • Pertaining to the phenomena with which chemistry deals and to the laws by which they are regulated; accordant with the laws of chemistry.
  • Also chemic.
  • CaCl2 + Na2CO3 = CaCO3 + 2NaCl.
  • This is a true equation in the algebraic sense, because the value of the two members is the same. Since matter is indestructible, nothing is lost in the reaction, and the weights of calcium chlorid and sodium carbonate which reacted must be precisely the same as the combined weights of the resultant calcium carbonate and sodium chlorid.
  • noun A substance produced by a chemical process; a chemical agent prepared for scientific or economic use: as, the manufacture of chemicals.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Pertaining to chemistry; characterized or produced by the forces and operations of chemistry; employed in the processes of chemistry.
  • adjective See under Attraction.
  • noun A substance used for producing a chemical effect; a reagent.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective obsolete Of or relating to alchemy.
  • adjective Of or relating to chemistry.
  • noun chemistry, sciences Any specific chemical element or chemical compound.
  • noun An artificial chemical compound.
  • noun slang An addictive drug.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of or made from or using substances produced by or used in reactions involving atomic or molecular changes
  • noun material produced by or used in a reaction involving changes in atoms or molecules
  • adjective relating to or used in chemistry

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Obsolete chimical, from chimic, alchemist, from New Latin chimicus, from Medieval Latin alchimicus, from alchymia, alchemy; see alchemy.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

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

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word chemical.

Examples

  • In a second experiment, the HML team mimicked a chemical pollutant challenge by injecting blue crabs with a chemical** known to inhibit oxidative phosphorylation, a metabolic process that manufactures energy.

    innovations-report 2010

  • In a second experiment, the HML team mimicked a chemical pollutant challenge by injecting blue crabs with a chemical** known to inhibit oxidative phosphorylation, a metabolic process that manufactures energy.

    Newswise: Latest News 2010

  • The term chemical was used by the Lebanese Association for Human Rights. text was changed per Mirvat's request

    Saturday, September 30, 2006 As'ad 2006

  • By the term chemical properties we have reference to the chemical composition of the soil, the chemical changes which take place in the soil, and the conditions which influence these changes.

    The First Book of Farming Charles Landon Goodrich

  • Since the system will probably never change, so that we learn all of these effects before a chemical is allowed into use, we have to be vigilent in studying the effects after said chemical is introduced into the environment.

    Corporate Shenanigans of the Day (Jack Bog's Blog) 2009

  • The qualification of the chemical is theirs, not mine.

    Treating Cancer with Landscape Architecture 2008

  • Most of people, though, that I've spoken with -- and I spoke to a couple friends this morning on the phone -- say it's absolutely ridiculous that he would have put himself through what I described as chemical torture -- Soledad.

    CNN Transcript Nov 27, 2006 2006

  • Scientists studied the air a mile away from the site and found what they called a chemical factory.

    CNN Transcript Sep 10, 2003 2003

  • Through the industrialist and a retired British defence force officer, he came into contact with what he called the chemical and biological warfare mafia.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2001

  • It some such fashion the periodic strokes of the smaller ether waves accumulate, till the atoms on which their timed impulses impinge are jerked asunder, and what we call chemical decomposition ensues.

    Scientific American Supplement, No. 365, December 30, 1882 Various

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.