chemical

chemical — noun

1. a type of matter, either natural or human-made, that is created through or emplo

1.nounB2
Definition

a type of matter, either natural or human-made, that is created through or employed in reactions where atoms or molecules change how they are arranged or connected

Example

The factory was fined for dumping toxic chemicals into the nearby river.

countable plural: toxic chemicals

Aiko wore rubber gloves when handling the cleaning chemical under the sink.

countable singular: cleaning chemical

Common collocations
  • toxic chemicals
  • hazardous chemicals
  • industrial chemicals
  • household chemicals
  • chemical reaction
  • chemical waste
  • chemical spill
Synonyms
  • substance

    broader; any type of matter, not necessarily produced by a chemical reaction

  • compound

    more specific; a substance made of two or more elements chemically bonded together

  • element

    a pure substance that cannot be broken down further, found on the periodic table

Grammar Patterns

chemical + noun (compound noun)

often used in plural: chemicals

Usage Note

Often used in the plural form 'chemicals' when referring to multiple substances in a general or industrial context.

Common Mistakes

The scientist mixed two chemistry in a test tube.
The scientist mixed two chemicals in a test tube.
'chemistry' is the field of study; 'chemical' is the actual substance.

chemical — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to types of matter, but they differ in specificity. 'Substance' is the broadest — any kind of matter with a uniform composition, whether natural or artificial, simple or complex. 'Chemical' is more specific, pointing to a substance created by or used in a reaction involving atomic or molecular change; in everyday use it often suggests an artificial or industrial product. 'Compound' is a narrower term still: a substance made of two or more elements chemically bonded, like water (H₂O) or salt (NaCl). 'Element' refers only to pure substances from the periodic table, such as oxygen or gold, that cannot be broken into simpler substances by chemical means. 'Material' is also broad, like 'substance', but is commonly used for the physical matter that things are made of — building materials, raw materials, or fabrics. For example: 'Iron is a chemical element found in many materials'; 'Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound, not an element'; 'The lab tested every substance in the sample.'

substance ↗compound ↗element ↗material ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • chemical analysis
  • chemical composition
  • chemical industry
  • chemical plant
  • chemical spill
  • chemical exposure

Adverbs

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'chemical' traces back through French 'chimique' to Latin 'chimicus' and further to Greek 'khēmeia', which originally referred to the art of transmuting metals — alchemy. The modern sense of a scientific discipline emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries as alchemy evolved into chemistry. The suffix '-al' turns the noun 'chemist' into an adjective meaning 'relating to chemistry', and by the 19th century the noun form 'a chemical' came into use, shortened from 'chemical substance' or 'chemical agent'.