Dihydrochloride

/ˌdaɪˌhaɪdroʊˈklɔraɪd/ noun

Definition

A chemical salt formed when a compound with two amine groups (nitrogen-containing groups) each reacts with hydrochloric acid.

Etymology

From 'di-' (two) + 'hydro-' (hydrogen) + 'chloride' (salt of hydrochloric acid). This term became common in pharmaceutical chemistry in the 20th century to describe drugs with improved water solubility.

Kelly Says

Many life-saving medications are dihydrochlorides because adding two HCl molecules makes drugs dissolve better in water and the body—it's a simple chemistry trick that helps medicines work faster!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.