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allotropy

or al·lot·ro·pism

[uh-lo-truh-pee]
noun Chemistry.
  1. a property of certain elements, as carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus, of existing in two or more distinct forms; allomorphism.
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Origin of allotropy

First recorded in 1840–50; allo- + -tropy
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for allotropism

Historical Examples

  • In what will these wonderful developments of allotropism end?

    The Catholic World; Vol. IV.; October, 1866, to March, 1867.

    E. Rameur

  • These facts of allotropism have some corollaries connected with them rather startling to us of the nineteenth century.

    Medical Essays

    Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

  • Perhaps they have not studied the mystery of allotropism in the emotions of the human heart.

    Elsie Venner

    Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

British Dictionary definitions for allotropism

allotropy

allotropism

noun
  1. the existence of an element in two or more physical forms. The most common elements having this property are carbon, sulphur, and phosphorus
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Derived Formsallotropic (ˌæləˈtrɒpɪk), adjectiveallotropically, adverb
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
allotropism in Medicine

allotropism

(ə-lŏt′rə-pĭz′əm)
n.
  1. The existence of two or more forms of an element that differ from one another in crystalline or molecular structure.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.