chem

chem — noun

1. an informal short form of the word chemistry, used to mean the school subject th

1.nounB1
Definition

an informal short form of the word chemistry, used to mean the school subject that studies what substances are made of and how different materials change or join together when mixed.

Example

Ravi has a chem exam on Friday and needs to memorise the periodic table.

informal abbreviation in school context

Leila enjoyed chem more than biology because she loved mixing substances in the lab.

used as a subject name alongside other subjects

Common collocations
  • chem class
  • chem exam
  • chem lab
  • chem homework
  • chem teacher
  • chem notes

Grammar Patterns

the + noun + of + noun

possessive + noun

Usage Note

Avoid using the abbreviation 'chem' in formal academic essays or official science reports — always write 'chemistry' in those contexts.

Common Mistakes

I am studying chem at National Taiwan University.
I am studying chemistry at National Taiwan University.
'chem' is too informal for formal applications or university writing.

chem — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Both 'chem' and 'chemistry' refer to the same subject, but they differ sharply in register. 'Chemistry' is the standard formal term used in academic writing, textbooks, job applications, and official contexts. 'Chem' is a casual abbreviation common in spoken conversation among students, timetables, and informal messages — you would say 'I have chem at 10' to a classmate but write 'I am majoring in chemistry' on a university application. Use the full form whenever the context calls for formality or precision; reserve the short form for relaxed, peer-to-peer settings.

chem ↗chemistry ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • chem class
  • chem lab
  • chem exam
  • chem teacher
  • chem student
  • chem department

Phrases

  • chem class schedule
  • chem lab report
  • chem exam results

Prepositions

  • in chem
  • for chem

Etymology

ArabicGreekLatinEnglish

'Chem' is a 20th-century clipping of the words 'chemistry' and 'chemical', formed by taking the first four letters of the longer terms. Both 'chemistry' and 'chemical' trace back through Latin 'chimia' and Greek 'chēmeia' to Arabic 'al-kīmiyā'', which originally referred to the medieval practice of alchemy. The clipped form became popular in informal student speech and on school timetables in the mid-1900s.