adduct

American  

[uh-duhkt, ad-uhkt] / əˈdʌkt, ˈæd ʌkt /

verb (used with object)

1. Physiology. to move or draw toward the axis of the body or one of its parts (opposed to abduct).

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noun

1. Also called addition compound.  Chemistry. a combination of two or more independently stable compounds by means of van der Waals' forces, coordinate bonds, or covalent bonds.

adduct British  

/ əˈdʌkt /

verb

1. (of a muscle) to draw or pull (a leg, arm, etc) towards the median axis of the body Compare abduct

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noun

1. chem a compound formed by direct combination of two or more different compounds or elements

Other Word Forms

• adduction noun
• adductive adjective

Etymology

Origin of adduct

First recorded in 1830–40; from Latin adductus “drawn to,” past participle of addūcere “to bring into”; see adduce

Compare meaning

How does adduct compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• abduct vs. adduct

Example Sentences

An adduct is a bulky chemical attachment that forms when a compound, such as a carcinogen, binds directly to DNA.

From Science Daily • Nov. 28, 2025

The species donating the electron pair that compose the bond is a Lewis base, the species accepting the electron pair is a Lewis acid, and the product of the reaction is a Lewis acid-base adduct.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Many Lewis acid-base reactions are displacement reactions in which one Lewis base displaces another Lewis base from an acid-base adduct, or in which one Lewis acid displaces another Lewis acid:

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Loss of this subunit impedes alkylation adduct repair kinetics and increases sensitivity to alkylating agents, but not other forms of DNA damage.

From Nature • Nov. 7, 2017

Could flex, extend, and adduct and abduct the wrist; some power of flexion in index finger, in others none.

From Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900 Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small Calibre by Makins, George Henry