chemical

1 of 2

adjective

chem·​i·​cal ˈke-mi-kəl How to pronounce chemical (audio)
1
: of, relating to, used in, or produced by chemistry or the phenomena of chemistry
chemical reactions
2
a
: acting or operated or produced by chemicals
a chemical fire extinguisher
b
: detectable by chemical means
chemically
ˈke-mi-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce chemical (audio)
adverb

chemical

2 of 2

noun

1
: a substance obtained by a chemical process or producing a chemical effect
2
: drug sense 2

Examples of chemical in a Sentence

Adjective They studied the compound's chemical structure.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
After the desalination process is finished, highly concentrated brine and chemical waste is released into offshore tidewaters, wreaking havoc with sensitive coastal ecosystems. — Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025 Researchers have questioned whether African American women's frequent use of chemical hair straighteners, suspected of containing formaldehyde-releasing agents, might explain why breast, uterine and ovarian cancers kill disproportionately more Black than white women. — Ronnie Cohen, NPR, 8 May 2025
Noun
Since taking office in January, Trump has increased tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, citing unfair trade practices and accusing Beijing of failing to curb the export of chemicals used to produce fentanyl, a lethal synthetic opioid. — Emma Farge, USA Today, 12 May 2025 Trump cited unfair trade practices as his reason for implementing the levies, and accused Beijing of failing to curb the export of chemicals used to produce fentanyl, a lethal synthetic opioid. — Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for chemical

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

chemic or its source, Medieval Latin chimicus + -al entry 1

Noun

derivative of chemical entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1739, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chemical was in 1576

Phrases Containing chemical

Rhymes for chemical

See All Rhymes for chemical

Browse Nearby Words

chemic
chemical
chemical abuse
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chemical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chemical. Accessed 16 May. 2025.

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Kids Definition

chemical

1 of 2 adjective
chem·​i·​cal ˈkem-i-kəl How to pronounce chemical (audio)
1
: of, relating to, used in, or produced by chemistry
2
: acting or operated or produced by chemicals
chemically
-i-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce chemical (audio)
adverb

chemical

2 of 2 noun
: a substance (as an element or compound) obtained from a chemical process or used to get a chemical result

Medical Definition

chemical

1 of 2 adjective
chem·​i·​cal ˈkem-i-kəl How to pronounce chemical (audio)
1
: of, relating to, used in, or produced by chemistry
2
a
: acting or operated or produced by chemicals
b
: detectable by chemical means
chemically
-i-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce chemical (audio)
adverb

chemical

2 of 2 noun
1
: a substance (as an element or chemical compound) obtained by a chemical process or used for producing a chemical effect
2
: drug sense 2

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