valency
Americannoun
noun
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chem a property of atoms or groups, equal to the number of atoms of hydrogen that the atom or group could combine with or displace in forming compounds
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linguistics the number of satellite noun phrases with which a verb combines
the English verb `give' takes a subject and two objects, so it has a valency of three
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immunol
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the number of antigen-binding sites on an antibody molecule
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the number of antigen-binding sites with which an antigen can combine
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Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of valency
C19: from Latin valentia strength, from valēre to be strong
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.
See Examples For:
The terms "chemical appetite" and "specific chemical appetite" are names I have coined for your present benefit, but for which chemists would use the words "affinity" and "valency" respectively.
From The Chemistry of Hat Manufacturing Lectures Delivered Before the Hat Manufacturers' Association by Shonk, Albert
If the word be defined as above, it is absolutely certain that the valency varies.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 324, March 18, 1882 by Various
While the principle of varying valency laid down by Frankland is still retained, Butlerow’s view that structure had no spatial significance has been modified.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various
These saturation capacities were assiduously studied by Sir Edward Frankland, who from the investigation, not of simple inorganic compounds, but of the organo-metallic derivatives, determined the kernel of the theory of valency.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various
The question next arises, is the valency of an element fixed or variable?
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 324, March 18, 1882 by Various
Three such compounds are possible according to the number of valencies acting directly between the carbon atoms.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various
When applied to benzene, a twofold conjugated system is suggested in which the partial valencies of adjacent atoms neutralize, with the formation of a potential double link.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various
It is found, however, that the same element has not always the same atomic refraction, the difference being due to the nature of the elements which saturate its valencies.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various
Tertiary alcohols are thus seen to be characterized by the group :C.OH, in which the residual valencies of the carbon atom are attached to alkyl groups.
From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg
Now in both cases one gramme-molecule of oxygen is decomposed, and the two oxygen atoms thus formed are combined with two carbon valencies.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
