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 adverb

chemical

2 of 2

noun

1
: a substance obtained by a chemical process or producing a chemical effect
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
Moving From Model to Molecule To tackle that challenge, Stokes and his colleagues developed a generative AI tool that designs antibiotic candidates with chemical blueprints tailored for real-world manufacturing, not just computer screens. IEEE Spectrum, 14 Aug. 2025 Smollett said the men placed a noose around his neck and poured an unknown chemical substance on him, according to the Chicago Police Department at the time. Dan Heching, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
Anyone with sensitive skin will be happy to know that the plush 100% cotton is Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified and made without any harmful chemicals. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 15 Aug. 2025 Healthy cookware manufactured without these chemicals is safe even if pans are heated above their oven-safe threshold. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chemical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chemical. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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 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 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

More from Merriam-Webster on chemical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!