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hydrogel

American  
[hahy-druh-jel] / ˈhaɪ drəˌdʒɛl /

noun

  1. a gel whose liquid constituent is water.


hydrogel British  
/ ˈhaɪdrəˌdʒɛl /

noun

  1. a gel in which the liquid constituent is water

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hydrogel

First recorded in 1890–95; hydro- 1 + gel

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The newly developed hydrogel is designed to imitate this early healing phase.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

In test tube studies, bone forming cells quickly moved into the structured hydrogel and began producing collagen, a key building block of bone.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

Using this new approach, the researchers created a programmable smart skin made from hydrogel, a soft, water-rich material.

From Science Daily • Feb. 6, 2026

The printing technique allows virtually any image to be encoded into the hydrogel.

From Science Daily • Feb. 6, 2026

It is certain, however, that the gelatinous material which readily separates from such solutions is of the nature of a hydrogel, that is, a colloid which is insoluble in water.

From An Introductory Course of Quantitative Chemical Analysis With Explanatory Notes by Talbot, Henry P.