dimer

American  

[dahy-mer] / ˈdaɪ mər /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a molecule composed of two identical, simpler molecules.

2. a polymer derived from two identical monomers.

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dimer British  

/ ˈdaɪmə /

noun

1. chem

   1. a molecule composed of two identical simpler molecules (monomers)

   2. a compound consisting of dimers

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dimer Scientific  

/ dī′mər /

1. Any of various chemical compounds made of two smaller identical or similar molecules (called monomers) that are linked together. Dimers are linked by hydrogen bonds, coordinate bonds, or covalent bonds. Sucrose is a dimer composed of the monomers glucose and fructose.

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Other Word Forms

• dimeric
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of dimer

First recorded in 1905–10; di- ¹ + -mer

Example Sentences

Both versions of the verticillin molecule are built from two identical halves that must be connected into a structure called a dimer.

From Science Daily • Dec. 22, 2025

Many immune receptors function in pairs called dimers, but to date, PD-1 has been thought to function alone, not in the dimer form.

From Science Daily • Mar. 8, 2024

In some cases, binding of the ligand causes dimerization of the receptor, which means that two receptors bind to each other to form a stable complex called a dimer.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The dimer is held together by two hydrogen bonds with a total strength of 66.5 kJ per mole of dimer.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Peaper, D. R., Wearsch, P. A. & Cresswell, P. Tapasin and ERp57 form a stable disulfide-linked dimer within the MHC class I peptide-loading complex.

From Nature • Nov. 5, 2017