monatomic
Americanadjective
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having one atom in the molecule.
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containing one replaceable atom or group.
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having a valence of one.
adjective
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(of an element) having or consisting of single atoms
argon is a monatomic gas
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(of a compound or molecule) having only one atom or group that can be replaced in a chemical reaction
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a less common word for monovalent
Other Word Forms
- monatomically adverb
Etymology
Origin of monatomic
Vocabulary lists containing monatomic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The oxidation number of a monatomic ion is equal to the ion’s charge.
From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019
The noble gases are all monatomic, whereas the other nonmetal gases—hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, and chlorine—normally exist as the diatomic molecules H2, N2, O2, F2, and Cl2.
From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019
The ions that we have discussed so far are called monatomic ions, that is, they are ions formed from only one atom.
From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019
For example, the pure metalloids form covalent crystals like the nonmetals, but like the metals, they generally do not form monatomic anions.
From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019
Atomic and Molecular Heats.—The ideal atomic heat is the thermal capacity of a gramme-atom in the ideal state of monatomic gas at constant volume.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 1 "Calhoun" to "Camoens" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
