dyad

American  

[dahy-ad] / ˈdaɪ æd /

Sometimes diad

noun

1. a group of two; couple; pair.

2. Biology.

   1. a secondary morphological unit, consisting of two monads.

      a chromosome dyad.

   2. the double chromosomes resulting from the separation of the four chromatids of a tetrad.

3. Chemistry. an element, atom, or group having a valence of two.

4. Mathematics. two vectors with no symbol connecting them, usually considered as an operator.

5. Sociology.

   1. two persons involved in an ongoing relationship or interaction.

   2. the relationship or interaction itself.

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adjective

1. of two parts; dyadic.

dyad British  

/ ˈdaɪæd /

noun

1. maths an operator that is the unspecified product of two vectors. It can operate on a vector to produce either a scalar or vector product

2. an atom or group that has a valency of two

3. a group of two; couple

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Etymology

Origin of dyad

First recorded in 1665–75; from Greek dyad- (stem of dyás ) “pair,” equivalent to dý(o) “two” + -ad- noun suffix; two, -ad ¹

Example Sentences

Still, Jamison found the “triangle” of herself, Godfrey and Guggenheim easier than if she had been working alone within a “dyad” of Godfrey’s “fictive construction.”

From Los Angeles Times

The researchers focused on mother-child dyads because mothers often are the primary caregiver who spends more time with youth and tend to be more involved with day-to-day activities.

From Science Daily

The researchers chose to focus on mother-child dyads because mothers often are the primary caregiver who spends more time with youth and are more involved with day-to-day activities.

From Science Daily

Their qualitative work on the severed mother-daughter dyad has yielded wholly nuanced theories and praxis rooted in the unique “self-in-relation” analysis model.

From Salon

What is it about these dyads that produce such eerie out-of-body feelings?

From New York Times

Related Words

• combination
• couple
• duo
• match
• team
• two