hydrophilically
|hy-dro-phil-i-cal-ly|
/ˌhaɪdrəˈfɪlɪk/
(hydrophilic)
water-loving
Etymology
'hydrophilic' originates from Greek via New Latin and Modern scientific coinage, specifically from Greek elements 'hydro-' (from Greek 'hydōr') meaning 'water' and '-philic' from Greek 'philos' meaning 'loving'.
'hydrophilic' was formed in scientific New Latin/Modern Greek-derived coinage by combining 'hydro-' + '-philic'; it entered English in the 19th century as a technical term and gave rise to derived forms such as 'hydrophilicity' and 'hydrophilically'.
Initially, the components literally meant 'water-loving'; over time this literal sense was specialized in chemistry, biology, and materials science to mean 'attracted to or readily wetted by water', which is the current usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
noun form related to 'hydrophilic': hydrophilicity — the degree to which a substance attracts or is wetted by water.
Hydrophilicity of the material determines how easily it will be wetted by water.
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Adjective 1
adjective form of the base 'hydrophilic': having an affinity for water or being readily wetted by water.
This coating is hydrophilic, so water spreads across the surface.
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Adverb 1
in a hydrophilic manner; in a way that tends to attract, bind with, or be wetted by water.
The polymer bonded hydrophilically to the aqueous surface, improving dispersion.
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Last updated: 2025/11/21 01:46