Meanings
- chemistryA principle stating that, if a chemical system at equilibrium experiences a change in concentration, temperature, or total pressure, the equilibrium will shift in order to minimize that change.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe principle that if any change is imposed on a system that is in equilibrium then the system tends to adjust to a new equilibrium counteracting the change
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Named for French chemist Henri Louis Le Châtelier.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan principi de Le Chatelier
- principi de Le Chatelierchemical principle
Chinese Cantonese 勒沙得利爾原理 /勒沙得利尔原理
- 勒沙得利爾原理 /勒沙得利尔原理 (lak⁶ saa¹ dak¹ lei⁶ ji⁵ jyun⁴ lei⁵)chemical principle
Chinese Mandarin 勒夏特列原理, 勒沙特列原理
- 勒夏特列原理 (Lè Xiàtèliè yuánlǐ)chemical principle
- 勒沙特列原理 (Lè Shātèliè yuánlǐ)chemical principle
- 呂·查德里原理 (Lǚ-Chádélǐ yuánlǐ)chemical principle
- 平衡移動原理 /平衡移动原理 (pínghéng yídòng yuánlǐ)chemical principle
French principe de Le Chatelier
- principe de Le Chatelierchemical principle
Italian principio di Le Châtelier
- principio di Le Châtelierchemical principle
Polish reguła przekory
- reguła przekorychemical principle
Spanish principio de Le Chatelier
- principio de Le Chatelierchemical principle
Cite this entry
Le Chatelier's principle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Le%20Chatelier's%20principle
“Le Chatelier's principle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Le%20Chatelier's%20principle. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Le Chatelier's principle,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Le%20Chatelier's%20principle.
Source: Le Chatelier's principle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.