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hydrophobic

American  
[hahy-druh-foh-bik] / ˌhaɪ drəˈfoʊ bɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to hydrophobia.

  2. Chemistry. having little or no affinity for water.


hydrophobic British  
/ ˌhaɪdrəˈfəʊbɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to hydrophobia

  2. chem tending not to dissolve in, mix with, or be wetted by water Compare hydrophilic

    a hydrophobic colloid

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of hydrophobic

First recorded in 1640–50; hydrophobe + -ic

Vocabulary lists containing hydrophobic

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.

In their study published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the researchers also tried to understand the specific interactions that occur between hydrophobic components and proteins and their impact on protein aggregation.

From Science Daily • May 30, 2024

By analyzing the protonation/deprotonation of glycine molecules, the researchers observed a hydrophobic water/water interface close to the metal surface, leading to a destabilization of zwitterionic forms of glycine.

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2024

The engineered protein, resembling a structure with five arms, exhibits a unique feature -- a hydrophobic pore within its coiled-coil configuration.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2024

The currently used fluorescent dyes simply target the hydrophobic environment within LDs, utilizing unspecified binding mechanisms.

From Science Daily • Jan. 24, 2024

Sarcotius, in his history of the epidemic diseases of Naples, informs us that the fever was invariably attended with hydrophobic symptoms.

From Curiosities of Medical Experience by Millingen, J. G. (John Gideon)

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