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Glite Dictionary
🧪 Having many valences 🌀 Having many meanings 🧬 Many joined chromosomes
multivalent

multivalent

9.6
Able to form more than one kind of chemical bond
  • adjective
  • /ˌmʌlˈteɪvəˌlɛnt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : multivalente
  • Scientists are researching multivalent compounds that can bond with different chemical elements simultaneously.
  • multivalent immunogen

Examples

  • No clinically significant effects on serological response to hepatitis A vaccination were detected when given in combination with other vaccines, either as monovalent or multivalent formulations.

    Academic text (2007)

  • In view of the complex biology of HIV-host interactions, the most fruitful avenue may be the development of multivalent HIV immunogens tailored to HIV isolates in specific geographical locations.

    Academic text (1999)

  • The laboratory developed a multivalent vaccine to target multiple strains of the virus.

  • In pharmaceutical development, multivalent therapies often prove more effective against complex diseases.

Synonyms

polyvalent
vsmultivalent
  • Specialized
9.1

Able to form different bonds with other atoms

has identical chemical meaning but uses a different prefix form

Antonyms

monovalent
  • Specialized
9.1

Able to join with only one other atom, for example hydrogen

How Many Valences

tetravalent
  • Specialized
9.7
multivalent
  • Specialized
9.6
trivalent
  • Specialized
7.9
divalent
  • Specialized
8.9
monovalent
  • Specialized
9.1

Surface Forms

multivalent positive

Morphology

multivalent = valent (semi-transparent) = multi + valent

The word is formed transparently from multi- plus the technical base valent, but the chemistry-specific meaning is specialized.

Etymology

Multivalent comes from multi- 'many' and valent from a word meaning 'strong' or 'able to join', the same idea behind the familiar word valence in chemistry. So, a multivalent element can join in several ways or have more than one combining power.