Word
aqueous
Phoneticsaque·ous
US/ˈeɪkwiəs/
UK/ˈeɪkwɪəs/
Definitions
01containing or made of water
adj. made of water or containing a lot of water.
adj. consisting of or containing water; often used in chemistry to describe a solution where the solvent is water.
“The scientist mixed the powder into an aqueous solution for the test.”
“The reaction occurs more efficiently in an aqueous environment where the ions can move freely between the molecules.”
Technical · Academic
Usage
Frequently appears in the fixed phrase 'aqueous solution'.
Teaching tip
This is a high-level academic word; in everyday conversation, people simply say 'watery' or 'liquid'.
Antonyms
02relating to water
adj. connected to or like water.
adj. of or relating to water; resembling water in appearance or nature.
“The artist used aqueous colors to create a soft, blurry effect.”
“The creature's aqueous eyes seemed to reflect the shimmering surface of the lake.”
Formal · Literary
Usage
Usually placed before the noun it modifies.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Maisto adapted a technique first described by chemists at the University of Tokyo in 2002, which emulsifies the PFAS into tiny droplets suspended in the aqueous phase.” “JWST spectra of Neptune’s moons Larissa and Galatea and its rings show magnesium-rich phyllosilicates, minerals requiring aqueous alteration, but no surface water ice.” Etymology
Formed from Latin aqua + -ous (or from Medieval Latin aqueus), partly the analogy of Middle French aqueux (itself actually from Latin aquosus). Or based on the analogy of Latin terreus from terra.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/aqueous