chemical
1 of 2adjective
chem·i·cal ˈke-mi-kəl 
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
adverb chemical
2 of 2noun
1
: a substance obtained by a chemical process or producing a chemical effect
2
: drug sense 2
Example Sentences
Adjective They studied the compound's chemical structure.
Recent Examples on the Web
WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 The government’s ban on chemical fertilizers to promote organic farming — instituted overnight — crashed agricultural production. Niha Masih, Washington Post, 23 July 2022 Farm 66's system from hydroponic systems, which typically use chemical fertilizers, says Tam. Rebecca Cairns, CNN, 19 July 2022 Too much fertilizer can dry out plants, since chemical fertilizers are basically salts. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2022 Boosted with anti-aging and antioxidant ingredients like peptides and vitamin C, Vichy’s chemical SPF lotion was a top performer in nearly every category in GH Beauty Lab face sunscreen testing, including moisturization and gentleness. April Franzino, Good Housekeeping, 17 June 2022 Farmers typically apply those nutrients — nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium — to crops in the form of chemical fertilizers. New York Times, 17 June 2022 At the same time, agriculture took a hit due to heavy monsoons and a government ban on chemical fertilizers. Catherine Garcia, The Week, 19 May 2022 Pandemic supply chain shocks compounded by the war in Ukraine have caused a global shortage of chemical fertilizers. Clarisa Diaz, Quartz, 11 May 2022 Ian Palmer, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Through hydrogenation – a chemical process that can be used to turn liquid oils into solid or semi-solid fats – manufacturers were able to transform smelly whale products into odorless margarine for human consumption. Ryan Jones, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2022 Plants make their own food through a chemical process called photosynthesis that captures energy from sunlight. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 31 July 2022 In the early 1970s, oil and gas companies began using a chemical process to separate carbon dioxide from gas pumped on-site and steer it back into oil fields to get more oil from the ground. Pranshu Verma, Washington Post, 23 June 2022 First, as the source of hydrogen, which is needed for the chemical process that converts nitrogen from the air into ammonia, and second as fuel to generate the intense heat required. New York Times, 17 June 2022 This chemical process leads to over-carbonation, which increases the pressure inside the soda cans. Chris Smith, BGR, 24 May 2022 Yara calculates that the zero-emission chemical process it's developed will produce 20,500 metric tons of green ammonia each year, which can be converted into up to 80,000 metric tons of green fertilizer. Bernhard Warner, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2022 That includes forest expansion, soil management, industrial-scale facilities capturing CO2 through a chemical process, and the use of biofuels in power plants that capture CO2 and inject it underground. Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, 5 Apr. 2022 See More
Adjective
Now the 71-year-old is just trying to eke out enough of a harvest to feed his family after an abrupt ban on chemical fertilizers last year devastated his crops. WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 The government’s ban on chemical fertilizers to promote organic farming — instituted overnight — crashed agricultural production. Niha Masih, Washington Post, 23 July 2022 Farm 66's system from hydroponic systems, which typically use chemical fertilizers, says Tam. Rebecca Cairns, CNN, 19 July 2022 Too much fertilizer can dry out plants, since chemical fertilizers are basically salts. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2022 Boosted with anti-aging and antioxidant ingredients like peptides and vitamin C, Vichy’s chemical SPF lotion was a top performer in nearly every category in GH Beauty Lab face sunscreen testing, including moisturization and gentleness. April Franzino, Good Housekeeping, 17 June 2022 Farmers typically apply those nutrients — nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium — to crops in the form of chemical fertilizers. New York Times, 17 June 2022 At the same time, agriculture took a hit due to heavy monsoons and a government ban on chemical fertilizers. Catherine Garcia, The Week, 19 May 2022 Pandemic supply chain shocks compounded by the war in Ukraine have caused a global shortage of chemical fertilizers. Clarisa Diaz, Quartz, 11 May 2022 Noun
SkyNano’s underlying technology is based upon a chemical process that has been studied since the early 1900s in academic labs across the globe. Ian Palmer, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Through hydrogenation – a chemical process that can be used to turn liquid oils into solid or semi-solid fats – manufacturers were able to transform smelly whale products into odorless margarine for human consumption. Ryan Jones, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2022 Plants make their own food through a chemical process called photosynthesis that captures energy from sunlight. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 31 July 2022 In the early 1970s, oil and gas companies began using a chemical process to separate carbon dioxide from gas pumped on-site and steer it back into oil fields to get more oil from the ground. Pranshu Verma, Washington Post, 23 June 2022 First, as the source of hydrogen, which is needed for the chemical process that converts nitrogen from the air into ammonia, and second as fuel to generate the intense heat required. New York Times, 17 June 2022 This chemical process leads to over-carbonation, which increases the pressure inside the soda cans. Chris Smith, BGR, 24 May 2022 Yara calculates that the zero-emission chemical process it's developed will produce 20,500 metric tons of green ammonia each year, which can be converted into up to 80,000 metric tons of green fertilizer. Bernhard Warner, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2022 That includes forest expansion, soil management, industrial-scale facilities capturing CO2 through a chemical process, and the use of biofuels in power plants that capture CO2 and inject it underground. Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, 5 Apr. 2022 See More 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
Phrases Containing chemical
Kids Definition
chemical 1 of 2
adjective
chem·i·cal ˈke-mi-kəl
: of or relating to chemistry or chemicals
chemical
2 of 2noun
: any substance (as an acid) that is formed when two or more other substances act upon one another or that is used to produce a change in another substance
Medical Definition
chemical 1 of 2
adjective
chem·i·cal ˈkem-i-kəl
1
: of, relating to, used in, or produced by chemistry
2
a
: acting or operated or produced by chemicals
b
: detectable by chemical means
chemical
2 of 2noun
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