Understanding the advantages, characteristics, and functions of a hydrophobic coating vs. a hydrophilic coating allows design engineers to make the right choice for their applications. “Hydrophobic” and “hydrophilic” are easy to get confused with one another and it is important to learn the origins of these words before even beginning to point out the similarities and differences. “Phobic invokes the Greek word for fear, so a hydrophobic coating “fears” water, and does not interact with it well. It may even repel the water. “Philic” invokes the Greek word for love, therefore a hydrophilic coating is “water-loving”. It readily interacts with water.