polyvalent

American  

[pol-ee-vey-luhnt, puh-liv-uh-luhnt] / ˌpɒl iˈveɪ lənt, pəˈlɪv ə lənt /

adjective

1. Chemistry. having more than one valence.

2. Bacteriology. (of an immune serum) containing several antibodies, each capable of reacting with a specific antigen.

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polyvalent British  

/ ˌpɒlɪˈveɪlənt, pəˈlɪvələnt /

adjective

1. chem having more than one valency

2. 1. effective against several strains of the same disease-producing microorganism, antigen, or toxin

   2. produced from cultures containing several strains of the same microorganism

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polyvalent Scientific  

/ pŏl′ē-vā′lənt /

1. Acting against or interacting with more than one kind of antigen, antibody, toxin, or microorganism.

2. Having more than one valence. Iron and manganese are polyvalent elements.

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Other Word Forms

• polyvalence
  noun
• polyvalency
  noun

Etymology

Origin of polyvalent

First recorded in 1880–85; poly- + -valent

Explanation

In chemistry, an atom is polyvalent if it has a valence of two or more, allowing it to form chemical bonds and combine with multiple other atoms. Polyvalent comes from the Greek polys, "much," and the Latin valentia, "strength or capacity." Polyvalent atoms have a greater capacity to connect with others and form complex molecules. In immunology, the term polyvalent is also used for drugs, vaccines, or antibodies that can fight off more than one virus or toxin.

Example Sentences

Polyvalent serums are made, good against rattler, moccasin or copperhead bites.

From Time Magazine Archive

Polyvalent antivenin in the treatment of experimental snake venom poisoning.

From Natural History of Cottonmouth Moccasin, Agkistrodon piscovorus (Reptilia) by Burkett, Ray D.