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Chemic vs Chemical - What's the difference?

chemic | chemical |

As adjectives the difference between chemic and chemical

is that chemic is (archaic) practising chemistry (or, earlier, alchemy); pertaining to these sciences while chemical is (label) of or relating to alchemy.

As nouns the difference between chemic and chemical

is that chemic is a chemist or (earlier) an alchemist while chemical is any specific chemical element or chemical compound.

chemic

English

Alternative forms

* chymic * chymick

Adjective

(-)
  • (archaic) Practising chemistry (or, earlier, alchemy); pertaining to these sciences.
  • (obsolete) Produced through alchemy; counterfeit.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , I.217:
    • a chymic treasure / Is glittering Youth, which I have spent betimes— / My heart in passion, and my head on rhymes.
  • Chemical.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • A chemist or (earlier) an alchemist.
  • * 1633 , John Donne, "The Comparison":
    • like the Chymicks masculine equall fire, / Which in the Lymbecks warme wombe doth inspire / Into th'earths worthlesse part a soule of gold
  • (obsolete) A solution of chloride of lime, used in bleaching.

    • chemical

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (label) Of or relating to alchemy.
  • Of or relating to chemistry.
  • Of or relating to a material or processes not commonly found in nature or in a particular product.

    • Derived terms

    * technochemical

    External links

    * (Chemistry)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any specific chemical element or chemical compound.
  • (label) An artificial chemical compound.
    • I color my hair with henna, not chemicals .
  • (label) An addictive drug.

    • Usage notes

    * The noun is frequently used in a slang and more specific non-technical way (2nd and 3rd definition) by the general public. Chemists and those who understand chemistry may gravitate toward the first, but the term "substance" is preferred usage.

    Derived terms

    * antichemical * chemical abortion * chemical affinity * chemical agent * chemical beam epitaxy * chemical biology * chemical bond * chemical castration * chemical change * chemical clock * chemical composition * chemical database * chemical decomposition * chemical defense * chemical dependency * chemical depilatory * chemical dermatitis * chemical ecology * chemical element * chemical energy * chemical engineering * chemical fingerprint * chemical hazard * chemical horn * chemical indicator * chemical industry * chemical kinetics * chemical laser * chemical law * chemical messenger * chemical oceanography * chemical pathology * chemical peel * chemical peritonitis * chemical physics * chemical plant * chemical reaction * chemical reactor * chemical sensitivity * chemical series * chemical shift * chemical toilet * chemical weapon

    Related terms

    * alchemical * chemist * chemistry

    See also

    * molecule * reagent

    Anagrams

    *