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
Traditional systems rely on chemical amines that bind with carbon dioxide. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 14 Nov. 2025 We are designed to have the chemical capacity to go through metamorphosis at any time, any stage in life that can take different shapes and forms. Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 Nov. 2025
Noun
The announcement prompted nefarious actors to begin shipping the precursor chemicals to other countries, where it is then made into fentanyl. Mike Brest, The Washington Examiner, 16 Nov. 2025 By enabling the exclusive chemical recycling of PET from various plastic wastes, this approach provides a practical and efficient pathway to recover valuable chemical building blocks. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 16 Nov. 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 22 Nov. 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

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