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isomer

American  
[ahy-suh-mer] / ˈaɪ sə mər /

noun

  1. Chemistry. a compound displaying isomerism with one or more other compounds.

  2. Also called nuclear isomerPhysics. a nuclide that exhibits isomerism with one or more other nuclides.


isomer British  
/ ˌaɪsəˈmɛrɪk, ˈaɪsəmə /

noun

  1. chem a compound that exhibits isomerism with one or more other compounds

  2. physics a nuclide that exhibits isomerism with one or more other nuclides

"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

isomer Scientific  
/ īsə-mər /
  1. Chemistry Any of two or more substances that have the same molecular formula but differ in their connectivity or spatial arrangement of atoms, or in their topology in macromolecules.

  2. Physics Any of two or more nuclei with the same mass number and atomic number that have different radioactive properties and can exist in any of several energy states for a measurable period of time.


Other Word Forms

  • isomeric adjective

Etymology

Origin of isomer

First recorded in 1865–70; back formation from isomeric

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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.

In the fifth step, an isomerase transforms the dihydroxyacetone-phosphate into its isomer, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

In one isomer, cis chloride ligands cause more electron density on one side of the molecule than on the other, making it polar.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

The compound 2-butene and some other alkenes also form a second type of isomer called a geometric isomer.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Only one isomer will fit into opioid receptors in cells.

From Nature • May 16, 2017

You don't have the foggiest notion of what an optical isomer is and you know it.

From A Feast of Demons by Samachson, Joseph