Addition of water or of the elements of water (i.e. H and OH) to a
molecular entity. For example, hydration of ethene:
The term is also used in a more restricted sense for the process:
cf. the use of the term in inorganic/physical chemistry to describe the state of the
ions of an electrolyte in aqueous solution.
Source:
PAC, 1994, 66, 1077
(Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994))
on page 1122
