chemical engineering

American  

noun

1. the science or profession of applying chemistry to industrial processes.

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chemical engineering British  

noun

1. the branch of engineering concerned with the design, operation, maintenance, and manufacture of the plant and machinery used in industrial chemical processes

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chemical engineering Scientific  

1. The branch of engineering that deals with the manufacture of products through chemical processes. These products include, among others, pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, petrochemicals, microelectronic devices, polymers, and products used in food processing and in biotechnology.

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Other Word Forms

• chemical engineer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of chemical engineering

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chemical engineering

McCann, who balances his swimming with studying for a chemical engineering degree, has been part of the Scottish Swimming programme since his teens.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

He studied chemical engineering as an undergraduate at University of Wisconsin-Madison and eventually earned a Ph.D. in the subject from the University of Minnesota.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

Kwanghun Chung, an associate professor of chemical engineering at MIT, is also an author.

From Science Daily ● May 6, 2026

It was rescued and saved by Rick Flagan, a professor of chemical engineering and environmental science, who found it in a tin film canister in a Caltech closet.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026

At graduation, he may say, “I'm going into chemical engineering construction.”

From The Black Star Passes by John Wood Campbell