chemical

American  

[kem-i-kuhl] / ˈkɛm ɪ kəl /

noun

chemicals plural

1. a substance produced by or used in a chemical process.

2. Slang. chemicals, narcotic or mind-altering drugs or substances.

---

adjective

1. of, used in, produced by, or concerned with chemistry or chemicals.

   a chemical formula; chemical agents.

2. used in chemical warfare.

   chemical weapons.

chemical British  

/ ˈkɛmɪkəl /

noun

1. any substance used in or resulting from a reaction involving changes to atoms or molecules, especially one derived artificially for practical use

---

adjective

1. of or used in chemistry

   chemical balance

2. of, made from, or using chemicals

   chemical fertilizer

chemical Scientific  

/ kĕm′ĭ-kəl /

1. Relating to or produced by means of chemistry.

---

1. A substance having a specific molecular composition, obtained by or used in a chemical process.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonchemical
  adjective
• prechemical
  adjective
• pseudochemical
  adjective
• semichemical
  adjective
• superchemical
  adjective
• unchemical
  adjective
• chemically
  adverb
• semichemically
  adverb
• superchemically
  adverb
• unchemically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• chemicals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chemical

1570–80; chemic + -al ¹; replacing chimical chemic

Explanation

A chemical is any mix of raw elements: hydrogen + oxygen produce the chemical water. Water is created by a change in the chemistry of hydrogen and oxygen atoms — a chemical change. Be cautious of the negative reaction people have to chemical substances. Chemicals often bring to mind deadly substances, such as asbestos or deadly chemical weapons. But many chemicals are part of our everyday life. Our lives would be drastically different without chemical compounds — think of the infection that would result if we didn't have the chemical hydrogen peroxide for cleaning out cuts.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chemical chemicals

The Belgian-French chemical company’s second quarter was better than expected with the group maintaining its full-year outlook.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Scientists noted, too, that amphetamine bore a chemical resemblance to dopamine, adding further weight to the connection between dopamine and schizophrenia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Raman microspectrometry uses light to examine how molecules vibrate, producing a chemical signature that can help identify pigments and other substances.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

Combined with the region's porous borders and weaker regulation of chemical imports, this helps them cut costs to lucrative consumer markets.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

They could not fathom its material form, its physical or chemical structure, its location within the body or inside the cell, or even its mechanism of action.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Farmers can then be advised to delay spraying their crops, so expensive chemicals are not just washed away.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

The bill marks the latest back-and-forth over PFAS, chemicals that are found in many different consumer, commercial and industrial products and are known as forever chemicals because some of their components don’t easily break down.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

Barrels of chemicals and partially finished product had been left in the shed as evidence, still emitting choking vapours when AFP visited.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

However, not only do these chemicals affect the bees directly, they can also remove important plants that they rely on for food causing them to starve.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026

And I couldn’t even eat them, knowing they’re filled with dangerous chemicals.

From "The Million Dollar Shot" by Dan Gutman

Related Words

• synthetic