colligative

American

[kol-i-gay-tiv] / ˈkɒl ɪˌgeɪ tɪv /

adjective

Physical Chemistry.

(of the properties of a substance) depending on the number of molecules or atoms rather than on their nature.

colligative British

/ kəˈlɪɡətɪv /

adjective

(of a physical property of a substance) depending on the concentrations of atoms, ions, and molecules that are present rather than on their nature

"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

Etymology

Origin of colligative

First recorded in 1900–05; colligate + -ive

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.

See Examples For:

colligative

Water containing dissolved solids such as salt and sweeteners are affected by something we refer to as colligative properties.

From Salon ● Nov. 26, 2021

These colligative properties include vapor pressure lowering, boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, and osmotic pressure.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Ionic compounds may not completely dissociate in solution due to activity effects, in which case observed colligative effects may be less than predicted.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Similar discrepancies are observed for other ionic compounds, and the differences between the measured and expected colligative property values typically become more significant as solute concentrations increase.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Volume Relations.17—When dealing with colligative properties of liquids it is equally necessary to ensure comparability of conditions.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various

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