polyvalent
[pol-ee-vey-luh nt, puh-liv-uh-luh nt]
- Chemistry. having more than one valence.
- Bacteriology. (of an immune serum) containing several antibodies, each capable of reacting with a specific antigen.
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Origin of polyvalent
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for polyvalent
Historical Examples
A polyvalent vaccine contains several strains of the infective agent and a mixed contains several different organisms.
The Fundamentals of BacteriologyCharles Bradfield Morrey
The complement fixation test is like a Wassermann reaction, but the antigen should be polyvalent.
The Ethics of Medical Homicide and MutilationAustin O'Malley
polyvalent
- chem having more than one valency
- (of a vaccine)
- effective against several strains of the same disease-producing microorganism, antigen, or toxin
- produced from cultures containing several strains of the same microorganism
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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
Word Origin and History for polyvalent
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
polyvalent
(pŏl′ē-vā′lənt)- Acting against or interacting with more than one kind of antigen, antibody, toxin, or microorganism.
- Having more than one chemical valence.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
polyvalent
[pŏl′ē-vā′lənt]
- Acting against or interacting with more than one kind of antigen, antibody, toxin, or microorganism.
- Having more than one valence. Iron and manganese are polyvalent elements.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.