tetratomic

American

[te-truh-tom-ik] / ˌtɛ trəˈtɒm ɪk /

adjective

Chemistry.

having four atoms per molecule, especially of a specified kind.
having four replaceable atoms or radicals.

tetratomic British

/ ˌtɛtrəˈtɒmɪk /

adjective

composed of four atoms or having four atoms per molecule

phosgene has tetratomic molecules

"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

Etymology

Origin of tetratomic

First recorded in 1860–65; tetr- ( def. ) + atomic ( def. )

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.

Similarly As and Au in Cd appear to be triatomic, and Sn in Pb tetratomic.

From Project Gutenberg

It is worthy of notice that in diatomic elements four funnels open on the faces of tetrahedra; in triatomic, six funnels on the faces of cubes; in tetratomic, eight funnels on the faces of octahedra.

From Project Gutenberg

The group is tetratomic and positive.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023