chemistry

American  

[kem-uh-stree] / ˈkɛm ə stri /

noun

plural

chemistries

1. the science that deals with the composition and properties of substances and various elementary forms of matter.

2. chemical properties, reactions, phenomena, etc..

   the chemistry of carbon.

3. the interaction of one personality with another.

   The chemistry between him and his boss was all wrong.

4. sympathetic understanding; rapport.

   the astonishing chemistry between the actors.

5. any or all of the elements that make up something.

   the chemistry of love.

---

chemistry British  

/ ˈkɛmɪstrɪ /

noun

1. the branch of physical science concerned with the composition, properties, and reactions of substances See also inorganic chemistry organic chemistry physical chemistry

2. the composition, properties, and reactions of a particular substance

3. the nature and effects of any complex phenomenon

   the chemistry of humour

4. informal a reaction, taken to be instinctual, between two persons

---

chemistry Scientific  

/ kĕm′ĭ-strē /

1. The scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of the chemical elements and the compounds they form.

2. The composition, structure, properties, and reactions of a substance.

---

chemistry Cultural  

1. The study of the composition, properties, and reactions of matter, particularly at the level of atoms and molecules.

---

Etymology

Origin of chemistry

First recorded in 1590–1600; chemist + -ry; replacing earlier chymistry, chimistry

Explanation

Chemistry is the science that tells us what things and people are made of; for example, that water is really H2O, two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. Chemistry deals with chemicals and elements, the building blocks of our world. The periodic table, that table of all of earth's basic elements — iron, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, etc. — comes from chemistry. Chemistry explains how atoms attract each other to become molecules. We also use the term to refer to people who are attracted to each other, either as colleagues, friends or romantic partners. Movie reviewers often say that that romantic leads have "great chemistry" — or not.

Example Sentences

The research, published in RSC Medicinal Chemistry, found that madecassic acid can stop antibiotic-resistant E. coli from growing.

From Science Daily • Apr. 21, 2026

So, too, did Kimberly Wise White, vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs at the American Chemistry Council, the trade group for the chemical industry.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

To verify the prototype's performance, researchers used the University of Melbourne's Ultrafast Laser Laboratory within the School of Chemistry.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026

The outbreak is believed to have originated at the Club Chemistry nightclub, which regularly attracts students from the city's universities.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

Chemistry dean Gilbert Lewis was the undisputed head of the Berkeley science faculty when Lawrence arrived.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• appeal
• beauty
• charisma
• glamour
• grace
• magic