monatomic

American

[mon-uh-tom-ik] / ˌmɒn əˈtɒm ɪk /

adjective

Chemistry.

having one atom in the molecule.
containing one replaceable atom or group.
having a valence of one.

monatomic British

/ ˌmɒnəˈtɒmɪk, ˌmɒnəʊəˈtɒmɪk /

adjective

(of an element) having or consisting of single atoms

argon is a monatomic gas
(of a compound or molecule) having only one atom or group that can be replaced in a chemical reaction
a less common word for monovalent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

monatomically

adverb

Etymology

Origin of monatomic

First recorded in 1840–50; mon- + atomic

Vocabulary lists containing monatomic

Chemistry - High School

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023