-valentcomb. form

A formative element occurring in a few words of general currency, as equivalent, prevalent (directly < Latin), ambivalent, and in various scientific contexts, being used with prefixes denoting number: (a) in Chemistry, usually with pronunciation /ˈveɪlənt/, forming adjectives denoting ‘having a valency of the specified number’ (valency n. 2); also used in an analogous sense in Immunology (cf. multivalent adj. 1c); also with arabic number prefixed; (b) in Cytology (usually with pronunciation /vələnt/) forming adjectives and nouns denoting ‘(a meiotic structure) composed of the specified number of chromosomes’ (cf. multivalent adj. and n., quadrivalent adj. and n., trivalent adj. and n.).This suffix was first used in its Chemistry sense by L. Meyer 1864, in Mod. Theorien d. Chem. 67.