hydrophilic
1
6.5
- adjective
- /ˌhaɪdrəˈfɪlɪk/
- Specialized
:
hidrofílico
- Protein solubility may be influenced by the ratio of hydrophilic to hydrophobic amino acids.
- hydrophilic polymer
- hydrophilic surface
- hydrophilic domains
Examples
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The solution renders one of the plastics hydrophilic and the other hydrophobic.
Academic text (2000) -
At the interface, the lipids' hydrophilic heads point into the water, while their hydrophobic tails point into the PFOB.
Academic text (2003) -
And then we once again have that have the hydrophilic head here.
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We have a grease ball and a little hydrophilic head, OK.
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Maybe it became a little hydrophilic and it started to turn this kind of weird bruise color.
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Essential in agriculture, hydrophilic materials help retain moisture in the soil.
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This hydrophilic coating allows water to spread evenly across the surface of the device.
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The scientist explained that hydrophilic substances dissolve easily in water, making them useful in many applications.
Synonyms
Able to take in water or living in wet places
Needing a lot of water to grow
Antonyms
How Water-Loving
Surface Forms
Morphology
hydrophilic = hydrophile (semi-transparent) = hydro + phile + ic
The adjective is formed regularly from the scientific base 'hydrophile' plus '-ic', but the base and combining forms are specialist terms rather than everyday vocabulary.
Etymology
Hydrophilic comes from the Greek parts hydro- 'water' (as in hydrate) and -philic 'loving', so it means 'water-loving'. That's why hydrophilic materials mix with or are easily wetted by water.