chromatography

noun

chro·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌkrō-mə-ˈtä-grə-fē 

: a process in which a chemical mixture carried by a liquid or gas is separated into components as a result of differential distribution of the solutes as they flow around or over a stationary liquid or solid phase

chromatographic

krō-ˌma-tə-ˈgra-fik 

krə-

adjective

chromatographically

krō-ˌma-tə-ˈgra-fi-k(ə-)lē 

krə-

adverb

Examples of chromatography in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Another lab’s 90% might be isolated after column chromatography. — Daniel Vlasits, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2026

Once extracted, the proteins were separated using liquid chromatography and identified via mass spectrometry. — Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 30 May 2025

But even modern methodologies based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) can rate peppers in ways that confound a sweating hot sauce enthusiast. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 May 2025

On a computer, Krause pulled up a chromatography analysis, which separates mixtures into individual components. — Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Chromatographie, from chromato- chromato- + -graphie -graphy, after earlier chromatographisch "chromatographic" and Chromatogramm chromatogram

Note: Term introduced by the botanist Mikhail Semyonovich Tsvet in "Adsorptionsanalyse und chromatographische Methode. Anwendung auf die Chemie des Chlorophylls," Berichte der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft, Band 24 (1906), p. 387. See note at chromatogram.

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing chromatography

• affinity chromatography
• gas chromatography
• gas-liquid chromatography
• gel permeation chromatography
• paper chromatography
• thin-layer chromatography

Rhymes for chromatography

• bibliography
• choreography
• crystallography
• hagiography
• iconography
• lexicography
• metallography
• myelography
• oceanography
• physiography
• plethysmography
• polarography

Kids Definition

chromatography

noun

chro·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌkrō-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē 

: separation and detection of chemical compounds as a result of their having traveled at different rates according to their different attractions to matter that carries them (as flowing liquid or gas) and matter that is not moving (as a liquid coating a solid)

chromatographic

krō-ˌmat-ə-ˈgraf-ik 

krə-

adjective

Medical Definition

chromatography

noun

chro·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌkrō-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē 

plural chromatographies

: a process in which a chemical mixture carried by a liquid or gas is separated into components as a result of differential distribution of the solutes as they flow around or over a stationary liquid or solid phase see affinity chromatography, cochromatography, column chromatography, electrochromatography, gas chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, gel filtration, high-performance liquid chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography, liquid chromatography, paper chromatography, partition chromatography, radiochromatography, thin-layer chromatography

chromatographic

krō-ˌmat-ə-ˈgraf-ik, krə- 

adjective

chromatographically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb