chemically

Chemically is an English adverb used to indicate that something relates to chemistry or to the application of chemical processes. It typically modifies verbs, adjectives, or nouns to specify chemical context, such as properties, reactions, or synthesis. In scientific writing, chemically helps distinguish chemical phenomena from physical, biological, or mechanical ones, for example when describing how a substance behaves under certain conditions or how a compound was produced.

Etymology and form: The word is formed from the adjective chemical plus the suffix -ly, following the standard pattern for English adverbs derived from adjectives. Its use is widespread across scientific and technical language, but it also appears in everyday speech to mean “in terms of chemistry” or “by chemical means.”

Usage and examples: Common collocations include chemically inert, chemically reactive, chemically pure, and chemically synthesized. Examples: “The sample was chemically analyzed,” “The polymer was produced chemically rather than biologically,” and “Chemically treated wood resists decay better in this environment.” In nontechnical writing, chemically can often be understood as “in a way that involves chemistry,” though context usually makes the meaning clear.

See also: chemical, chemistry, chemical reaction, chemical synthesis.