chemical English · revision 4448

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1576|origins=la-med alchimicus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkem.ɪ.kəl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is an alteration of earlier chimical,^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988) formed from chimic “of alchemy” and the suffix -al.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) Chimic is a worn-down form, which came [[der|la-med|alchimicus]],^(Etymonline) probably through New Latin chimicus, short for alchimicus,^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) from alchimia, the source of [[alchemy]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) It may have been influenced by French chimique (1558).^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) The spelling with e became established in the 1800s.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Relating to the practice of chemistry, or obtained by it: 1576 in the OED, MWU and Barnhart,^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988) the 1570s in Etymonline, also of alchemy in early use.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “of the alchemist” (1594) is obsolete,^(OED 1989) as is the use for the Paracelsian school of medicine (1621).^(OED 1989) The noun, a substance produced by or used in chemistry, is from 1747,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the modern sense relating to the science of chemistry from 1791.^(OED 1989) ''Chemical warfare'' is attested from 1917,^(Etymonline) and ''chemical weapon'' from 1920.^(OED 1989) In slang a chemical is also a drug, especially an illegal one.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1576 – relating to chemistry.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1594 – alchemical (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1747 – noun, a chemical substance.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1791 – relating to the science of chemistry.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1917 – ''chemical warfare''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or relating to [[chemistry]] or to the properties and reactions of substances.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Made by or using chemical processes: ''chemical [[fertilizer|alt=fertilizers]]''.^(Collins 2023)^(AHD)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A substance with a definite composition, produced by or used in a chemical process.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' A [[drug]], especially an illegal or addictive one.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[chemically]]

+ * [[agrichemical]]

+ * [[agrochemical]]

+ * [[biochemical]]

+ * [[fluorochemical]]

+ * [[mechanochemical]]

+ * [[neurochemical]]

+ * [[nonchemical]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[chemist]]

+ * [[chemistry]]

+ * [[alchemy]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}