water-loving

English

Etymology

From water +‎ loving.

Adjective

water-loving (comparative more water-loving, superlative most water-loving)

1. (chemistry) Having an affinity for water; hydrophilic.
   • 1894, U.S. Government Printing Office, Yearbook of Agriculture:

     To prepare a cotton that would swell like linen, we decided to attach water-loving groups to the cellulose chain

   • Aug 31, 2012, Robert L. Wolke, What Einstein Didn't Know: Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions:

     The trouble is that calcium, magnesium, and iron react with the water-loving ends of the molecule to form insoluble […]

   • Oct 1, 2013, Robert L. Wolke, What a Wonderful World: One Man's Attempt to Explain the Big Stuff:

     This is made of fatty acids, molecules that are characterized by having a water-loving end and a water-hating end.

   • Aug 28, 2014, Mark Burkitt, Healthy Eating Through Informed Choice:

     Since it accomodates^[sic] both the water-hating and water-loving properties of modified diglycerides ...

   • Sep 9, 2014, Michael Backes, Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide to Medical Marijuana:

     a barrier consisting of cells that prevent bacteria and large or water-loving molecules from crossing into the central nervous system

Synonyms

• hydrophilic