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.

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Other Word Forms

• hydrophobicity noun
• nonhydrophobic adjective

Etymology

Origin of hydrophobic

First recorded in 1640–50; hydrophobe + -ic

Example Sentences

"By contrast, small-molecule drugs that are designed to cross the blood-brain barrier are hydrophobic in nature, which limits their bioavailability, increases the risk of off-target binding, and is linked to side effects."

From Science Daily • Nov. 6, 2025

Desert beetles and lizards, for example, have evolved to develop surface structures that have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas and effectively capture moisture from the air.

From Science Daily • Nov. 19, 2024

In this study, the researchers synthesized PSPBs with different molecular weights and added varying amounts of hydrophobic monomers individually and with different alkyl chains through a process known as reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization.

From Science Daily • May 30, 2024

Backholm expects these findings will further enable physicists and engineers to develop hydrophobic surfaces with better performance.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2024

He was extremely fond of his glass of wine, and had, beside, that hydrophobic distaste, which has been imagined essential to the true poet.

From The American Quarterly Review, No. 17, March 1831 by Walsh, Robert