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chemical name

American  
[kem-i-kuhl naym] / ˈkɛm ɪ kəl ˈneɪm /

noun

chemical names plural
  1. the technical name of a chemical compound, mentioning each of its constituents and showing their relationship, such as nitrous oxide for laughing gas.


chemical name Scientific  
  1. The name of a chemical compound that shows the names of each of its elements or subcompounds. For example, the chemical name of aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid.

  2. Compare trivial name


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

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.

See Examples For:

Nereus was previously known by the chemical name tradipitant.

From Barron's Dec. 31, 2025

Oil of lemon eucalyptus may also be listed by its chemical name, PMD.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 30, 2024

“Most things you see on a label that you can’t pronounce are typically an emulsifier or preservative, or the chemical name of a specific nutrient,” she says.

From Seattle Times May 2, 2024

Marcus Snow, a rheumatologist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said he would prescribe adalimumab, the chemical name for Humira, based on price and each patient’s insurance coverage terms.

From Reuters Jan. 31, 2023

Acid: a chemical name given to many sour substances.

From Agriculture for Beginners Revised Edition by Burkett, Charles William

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