ScienceAugust 19, 2026

hydrophobic

hy-druh-FOE-bik

Definition

Tending to repel or fail to mix with water; in the context of the article, describing a property of protein subunits that helps students understand their behavior.

Etymology

The word is derived from the Greek 'hydōr' (water) and 'phobos' (fear). It entered English in the 19th century to describe substances or organisms that physically repel or are insoluble in water.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe protein subunits that are color-coded to represent their resistance to water, which helps students grasp complex molecular interactions through tactile comparison.

Flipping Script On Biology Education, And Scaling It Up

Read the full article ↗

Mirage News

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