Definition, synonyms and related words
plural of chemical
"The new factory will create hundreds of jobs for the local chemical industry."
The chemical industry.
In plain English: Chemicals are any substances made of atoms that make up everything around us, from the air we breathe to the food we eat.
"The cleaning product contains harsh chemicals that can damage your skin if you get them on your hands."
Usage: In everyday usage, chemicals refers to the raw substances and compounds used to manufacture products, not the entire chemical industry itself. You should use this term when discussing specific materials like fertilizers or cleaning agents rather than describing the sector as a whole.
Derived from the Greek khēmia (alchemy), this term originally referred to substances produced through alchemical processes before evolving in English to denote any substance with a definite composition and characteristic properties.