hydrophobic

Thân thiện

The cat is hydrophobic and avoids stepping in puddles.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Abnormally afraid of water: Having an extreme, irrational, or pathological fear of water.
   • Lacking affinity for water; tending to repel and not absorb water: Describing a substance or surface that does not interact favorably with water molecules, causing water to bead up rather than spread out or be absorbed.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Fear of Water):

  • The hydrophobic patient experienced severe anxiety at the sight of a swimming pool.
  • After the traumatic incident, the dog became hydrophobic and would avoid puddles.

• Adjective (Repelling Water):

  • The leaves of the lotus plant are hydrophobic, causing water to form perfect droplets and roll off.
  • A hydrophobic coating was applied to the fabric to make it water-resistant.

Advanced Usage

• In Chemistry/Biology: Used to describe nonpolar molecules or molecular regions that do not form hydrogen bonds with water and are energetically unfavorable in an aqueous environment.
  • The hydrophobic tails of phospholipids face inward in the cell membrane's bilayer.
• In Materials Science: Describes engineered surfaces designed to repel liquids.
  • Researchers are developing super-hydrophobic materials for self-cleaning windows.

Variants and Related Words

• Hydrophobicity (n): The property of being hydrophobic; the degree to which a substance repels water.
  • The hydrophobicity of the surface was measured by the contact angle of the water droplet.
• Hydrophobe (n): A hydrophobic substance or molecule.
  • Oil is a common hydrophobe.

Synonyms

• Water-repellent: Resistant to penetration by water (for materials).
• Aquaphobic: Having a fear of water (clinical synonym for the phobia).
• Non-wetting: Not easily wetted by a liquid.

Antonyms

• Hydrophilic (adj): Having an affinity for water; tending to dissolve in, mix with, or be wetted by water.
  • Cotton is a hydrophilic material that absorbs water easily.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. abnormally afraid of water
2. lacking affinity for water; tending to repel and not absorb water; tending not to dissolve in or mix with or be wetted by water

Từ đồng nghĩa

• aquaphobic