monatomicadj.
/ˌmɒnəˈtɒmɪk/, U.S. /ˌmɑnəˈtɑmɪk/ 1. Physics and Chemistry. Consisting of single atoms rather than molecules; of a thickness or depth of one atom.
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the world > matter > chemistry > valency > [adjective] > having a valency of one
monatomic1848
monad1866
monodynamic1867
univalent1869
monovalent1871
monadic1877
the world > matter > chemistry > atomic chemistry > [adjective] > relating to molecules > by number of atoms
monatomic1848
pentatomic1858
ter-atomic1861
tetratomic1862
triatomic1862
diatomic1866
hexatomic1868
octatomic1875
heptatomic1886
monadic1907
1848 H. Watts tr. L. Gmelin Hand-bk. Chem. I. 53 Monatomic gases [Ger. einatomige Gase].
1876 J. Tyndall Fragm. Sci. (ed. 5) i. iv. 100 Chlorine itself is molecular and not monatomic.
1922 F. W. Aston Isotopes 128 Neon consists of monatomic molecules differing between each other in mass by 10 per cent.
1938 R. Hum Chem. for Engin. Students xi. 251 At very high temperatures..a certain amount of dissociation occurs, a proportion of the diatomic molecules..becoming monatomic.
1966 C. R. Tottle Sci. Engin. Materials ii. 40 The inert gases, having stable electronic configurations, are normally monatomic, with very low boiling points.
1980 Physica B-C. 99 473 Solid solutions where the intercalated monoatomic layers are untidy alloys of the two metals.
1996 Science 1 Nov. 761 An ‘ion trap’ is formed inside the pore by a ring of conserved glutamines, which binds chloride and probably other monatomic anions.
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1866 W. Odling Lect. Animal Chem. 32 Monatomic alcohol.
1873 J. P. Cooke New Chem. (1874) xii. 278 Such hydrates are said to be mono-atomic.
1873 J. P. Cooke New Chem. (1874) xii. 278 A hydrate is..monatomic, diatomic, triatomic, etc., according as it contains one, two, three, or more hydroxyl groups.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1848