hydrophobic
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to hydrophobia
-
chem tending not to dissolve in, mix with, or be wetted by water Compare hydrophilic
a hydrophobic colloid
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hydrophobic
First recorded in 1640–50; hydrophobe + -ic
Vocabulary lists containing hydrophobic
Cell Biology - High School
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Biochemistry
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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.
Water is attracted to the hydrophilic areas and droplets are accumulated and transported through the hydrophobic areas.
From Science Daily • Nov. 19, 2024
This can be covalent bonds, hydrogen bridge bonds, van der Waals forces, and hydrophobic interactions.
From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 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 researchers employed methanol vapor to modify the secondary structure of silkworm silk proteins, resulting in a nanofiber membrane with a hydrophobic outer surface.
From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2024
They walk through rivers fully clothed, and shake their vesture as a dog his coat; or are hydrophobic for their skins, fearing to wash lest they disturb essential oils.
From Essays in Rebellion by Nevinson, Henry W.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.