aqueous
Americanadjective
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of, like, or containing water; watery.
an aqueous solution.
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(of rocks or sediments) formed of matter deposited in or by water.
adjective
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of, like, or containing water
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dissolved in water
aqueous ammonia
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(of rocks, deposits, etc) formed from material laid down in water
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Chemistry Relating to or dissolved in water.
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Geology Formed from matter deposited by water. Certain sedimentary rocks, such as limestone, are aqueous.
Other Word Forms
- aqueously adverb
- aqueousness noun
- nonaqueous adjective
- superaqueous adjective
Etymology
Origin of aqueous
Explanation
When something has an aqueous appearance, it looks watery or has the effect of water. Some marble can appear aqueous or have a watery-looking surface pattern. The word aqueous comes from the Latin aqua meaning "water." If you flip over a product package and read its ingredients, often you'll see water listed at the top, which means that whatever is inside is an aqueous solution, or one that contains water. Salt water is an example of an aqueous solution because salt easily dissolves in water. Essentially, something aqueous either resembles water or is made from water.
Vocabulary lists containing aqueous
Elements of the Universe: Aqua ("Water")
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Stroke of Genius: Words About Painting
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Scrabble: Words with 5 Vowels
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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.
"We believe that this method can be used to encapsulate various aqueous extracts," said Piskunov.
From Science Daily • Jan. 17, 2026
The sponge was tested in four aqueous environments: irrigation water, pond water, lake water and seawater.
From Salon • Jan. 2, 2025
“The fate of these chemicals in an aqueous environment is relevant for both fields,” Khodayari said.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 20, 2024
In some of the aqueous works, for example, she considers what happens in forced water crossings and what is lost beneath the water.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 20, 2024
The way was clear between the rows of buried strawberries and he followed it with the starlight striking off the snow, bathing everything in an aqueous light.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
