chemurgy

[ kem-ur-jee, kuh-mur- ]

noun

1. a division of applied chemistry concerned with the industrial use of organic substances, especially substances obtained from farm produce, as soybeans or peanuts.

chemurgy

/ ˈkɛmɜːdʒɪ /

noun

1. the branch of chemistry concerned with the industrial use of organic raw materials, esp materials of agricultural origin

Derived Forms

• chemˈurgic, adjective

Other Words From

• chem·urgic chem·urgi·cal adjective
• chem·urgi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of chemurgy¹

First recorded in 1930–35; chem- + -urgy

Example Sentences

The term chemurgy didn’t last, but the movement presaged the farm policy of coming decades.

From Slate

That same decade, an upstart movement called farm chemurgy emerged.

From Slate

Chemurgy was a strange neologism meant to evoke the chemical energy of the farm.

From Slate

Chemurgy became a way to reconcile the growing tension between modernity and agrarian tradition.

From Slate

The transformation of agricultural byproducts into industrial resources came to be known as chemurgy, a word coined by an organic chemist with Dow Chemical Co.

From Slate