monomer

American  

[mon-uh-mer] / ˈmɒn ə mər /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a molecule of low molecular weight capable of reacting with identical or different molecules of low molecular weight to form a polymer.

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monomer British  

/ ˈmɒnəmə, ˌmɒnəˈmɛrɪk /

noun

1. chem a compound whose molecules can join together to form a polymer

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monomer Scientific  

/ mŏn′ə-mər /

1. A molecule that can combine with others of the same kind to form a polymer. Glucose molecules, for example, are monomers that can combine to form the polymer cellulose. Polymers can also be composed of different kinds of monomers.

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Other Word Forms

• monomeric
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of monomer

First recorded in 1910–15; mono- + -mer

Compare meaning

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

• monomer vs. polymer

Explanation

A monomer is a small molecule. When monomers connect to each other, they form a polymer, a chain of molecules. Imagine a set of beads that snap together, and you'll have a good idea of how monomers interlock. You can think of each monomer (which include fatty acids and amino acids) as a building block for larger molecules. The word monomer contains the Greek roots mono-, "one," and meros, "part."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

monomer

This may have led to a buildup of heat in a pressurized tank filled with 7,000 gallons of a chemical called methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable liquid monomer used to manufacture plastics.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026

The polymer itself isn’t toxic, but its liquid predecessor — a monomer, essentially a bunch of single molecules — is.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026

In experiments, the team recycled the leftover carbon black and styrene monomer into polystyrene, demonstrating the circularity of the new method.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 25, 2024

Although it is like normal polyethylene, its monomer comes from ethanol instead of fossil fuels like petroleum and natural gas.

From Salon ● Nov. 17, 2023

The monomer sequence plays a critical role in a material's properties, but scientists until now have lacked a method for sequencing synthetic copolymers.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2023