valency
Americannoun
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valencies
plural
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:
Chemists use the term "valency" to describe how many "hands" an atom effectively has available to connect with other atoms in a chemical compound.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
"Uranium usually occurs with a valency of 4 or 6. Pentavalent uranium does exist, but it is rare or only transient. Until now, it had been seen in an unstable oxidation state," explains Newman-Portela.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
The meaning attached to the word "valency," is simply one of interchangeability, just as we say a penny is worth two halfpennies or four farthings.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 324, March 18, 1882 by Various
Just why different elements should differ thus in valency no one as yet knows; it is an empirical fact that they do.
From A History of Science — Volume 4 by Henry Smith Williams
The effectiveness of the various electrolytes in bringing about this change is proportional to their valency; bivalent ions are from 70 to 80 times, and trivalent ions about 600 times as effective as monovalent ions.
From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher
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
Indeed, it appears probable that with few exceptions the elements 43 are all compounds of similar atoms united together by one or more units of affinity, according to their valencies.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various
If the carbon atoms are connected by two valencies, we obtain a compound H2C:CH2, ethylene; if by three valencies, HC∶CH, acetylene.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various
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
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
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