hydrochloride
|hy-dro-chlo-ride|
🇺🇸
/ˌhaɪdrəˈklɔːr.aɪd/
🇬🇧
/ˌhaɪdrəˈklɒr.aɪd/
salt formed with hydrochloric acid
Etymology
'hydrochloride' originates from Modern English formation, specifically combining the Greek-derived prefix 'hydro-' (from Greek 'hydōr') and 'chloride' from New Latin 'chloridum', where 'hydro-' meant 'water' and 'chloros' (source of 'chlor-') meant 'green'.
'hydrochloride' changed through combination of elements: the element 'chloride' comes from New Latin 'chloridum' (via German 'Chlorid') derived from Greek 'chloros', and was joined with the Greek prefix 'hydro-' in modern chemical nomenclature to form 'hydrochloride'.
Initially, related roots referred to 'water' and the greenish aspect of chlorine ('hydro-' and 'chlor-'); over time the combined term came to specifically denote the salt formed by reaction with hydrochloric acid, i.e., the modern chemical meaning of 'hydrochloride'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a salt formed when an organic base (usually an amine) reacts with hydrochloric acid (HCl); commonly used in naming pharmaceutical salts (e.g., 'amphetamine hydrochloride').
The medication was supplied as the hydrochloride to improve stability and solubility.
Synonyms
Noun 2
in chemical nomenclature, the term appended to the name of a base to indicate its hydrochloride salt form (usage in drug names and chemical compounds).
Morphine hydrochloride is the hydrochloride form of morphine used in various formulations.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/19 01:13