hydrophobic
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to hydrophobia
-
chem tending not to dissolve in, mix with, or be wetted by water Compare hydrophilic
a hydrophobic colloid
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hydrophobic
First recorded in 1640–50; hydrophobe + -ic
Vocabulary lists containing hydrophobic
Cell Biology - High School
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Biochemistry
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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.
Wildfires can make soils become hydrophobic, with vaporized organic matter forming a waxy crust that repels water.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
Such fabrics are hydrophobic, or water hating, similar to grease and oils.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
In this study, the researchers synthesized PSPBs with different molecular weights and added varying amounts of hydrophobic monomers individually and with different alkyl chains through a process known as reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization.
From Science Daily ● May 30, 2024
But in a counterintuitive twist, the very mechanism that enables hydrophobic surfaces to deflect water droplets also leads to the shearing effect outlined in Backholm's paper.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 16, 2024
It fortunately occurred to me, that the guaco, so celebrated for curing the bite or sting of all venomous snakes, might prove equally efficacious in hydrophobic cases.
From The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 13, No. 372, May 30, 1829 by Various
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