hydrophobic

adjective

hy·​dro·​pho·​bic ˌhī-drə-ˈfō-bik 

1

: of, relating to, or suffering from hydrophobia

2

: lacking affinity for water

hydrophobicity

ˌhī-drə-fō-ˈbi-sə-tē 

noun

Examples of hydrophobic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many soils become hydrophobic when overly dry and can be difficult to rewet. — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 June 2026

If the water sits on the surface after one minute, the soil is hydrophobic. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026

Now, a team of researchers from Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School and collaborating institutions across China have developed a new platform for simultaneously delivering hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs directly into skin. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 2 Feb. 2026

Like the beetle's wings, the mesh filaments are chemically coated to be either hydrophobic or hydrophilic. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hydrophobic

• anaerobic
• claustrophobic
• homophobic
• aerobic
• phobic

Medical Definition

hydrophobic

adjective

hy·​dro·​pho·​bic -ˈfō-bik 

1

: of, relating to, or suffering from hydrophobia

2

: resistant to or avoiding wetting

a hydrophobic lens

3

: of, relating to, or having a lack of affinity for water

hydrophobic colloids are relatively unstable

compare lyophobic, oleophobic

hydrophobically

-bi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

hydrophobicity

-ˌfō-ˈbis-ət-ē 

noun

plural hydrophobicities