polyvalentadj.
/ˌpɒlɪˈveɪlənt/, /ˌpɒlɪˈveɪln̩t/, U.S. /ˌpɑliˈveɪl(ə)nt/, /ˌpɑləˈveɪl(ə)nt/ 1. Chemistry. Having a valency of three or more. Also: †having more than one state of valency (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > valency > [adjective] > having many degrees of valency
polyatomic1852
multivalent1866
polyvalent1866
1866 Chem. News 1 June 263/2 I would venture..to deprecate his continuing the series..by expressions with prefixes derived from the Greek... He properly uses the term ‘multi-valent’, not ‘poly-valent’.
1880 Jrnl. Amer. Chem. Soc. 2 127 This has been proven to be the case with oxygen, and it most probably holds true of all the polyvalent elements. The atomic refraction of the univalent elements, whose combining capacity is always completely utilized, must..be constant.
1933 S. W. Cole Pract. Physiol. Chem. (ed. 9) ii. 53 It is found that di-, tri- and polyvalent ions can effect this in very much lower concentrations than monovalent ions.
1950 N. V. Sidgwick Chem. Elements I. 177 The polyvalent state of gold..is much more stable than the monovalent.
1964 N. G. Clark Mod. Org. Chem. xxiv. 510 With all other polyvalent species of atom accounted for, the side chain..must consist of three linked carbon atoms.
1993 Gut 34 886/2 Sucralfate is a polyvalent anion.
2. Medicine. Of an antiserum: raised against, or containing antibodies to, more than one pathogen, toxin, antigen, etc. Of a vaccine: containing more than one antigen, or antigens of more than one pathogen, toxin, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > antidote > [adjective] > polyvalent
polyvalent1900
multivalent1934
multivalent1970
1900 Lancet 21 July 170/1 I used several races of streptococci in immunising these horses; the serum therefore was a polyvalent one.
1905 H. D. Rolleston Dis. Liver 155 The hypodermic injection of a bactericidal serum which is polyvalent.
1929 Syst. Bacteriol. 3 397 The botulinus serum should be a polyvalent one.
1965 C. H. Andrewes Common Cold xix. 168 ‘Polyvalent’ vaccines—those effective against many bacteria or viruses—are very fine in theory.
1991 South Aug. 77/3 The aim has been to find a combined (polyvalent) vaccine which would protect against all the forms of the malaria parasite—sporozites, merozites and gametocytes.
3. Immunology. = multivalent adj. 1c.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > substance > process stimulators or inhibitors > immunogen or antigen > [adjective] > valency of
polyvalent1912
multivalent1934
univalent1939
monovalent1960
the world > life > biology > substance > process stimulators or inhibitors > antibody > [adjective] > valency of
polyvalent1912
multivalent1934
univalent1939
monovalent1960
1912 Amer. Jrnl. Med. Sci. 144 815 The complement fixation test (using a polyvalent antigen) for gonococcus antibodies should prove an addition to our methods of diagnosticating between..gonococcus infection and..other causes.
1951 L. E. H. Whitby & M. Hynes Med. Bacteriol. (ed. 5) vi. 72 When an antigen in colloidal solution is mixed with antibody under suitable conditions a precipitate of antigen-antibody complex appears. Most of the precipitate consists of antibody, since antibody molecules in general are larger than those of antigens, whilst antigens are polyvalent and each molecule combines with two or more molecules of antibody.
1975 Nature 11 Sept. 103/1 Interaction of divalent or polyvalent ligands (for example, antibodies, lectins) with cell surface structures on lymphocytes..induces redistribution of the largely diffuse binding sites into clusters.
1993 Nucleic Acids Res. (BNC) 21 This enhancement may reflect polyvalent binding of enzyme-conjugated secondary antibodies to primary antibodies bound to the protein A.
4.
a. Having many values, properties, or modes of action; (Psychoanalysis) characterized by multiple or changeable sexuality.
ΚΠ
1928 H. G. Baynes & C. F. Baynes in tr. C. G. Jung Contrib. Analyt. Psychol. iii. 58 Freud overlooks the fact that the infantile, polyvalent beginnings are not merely a peculiar, perverse pre-stage of a normal and mature sexuality.
1975 J. De Bres tr. E. Mandel Late Capitalism viii. 268 Full automation reduces the number of semi-skilled workers and gives rise to a new and highly skilled polyvalent work force.
1995 M. Garber Vice Versa ii. viii. 220 ‘Bisexuality’, she informs the reader, ‘is no stranger to those who experience their sexuality as polyvalent and who enjoy a variety of sexual experimentation for its own sake.’
b. Chiefly Linguistics and Literary Criticism. Having multiple aspects or meanings; open to a number of different interpretations. Cf. multivalent adj. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > meaning of linguistic unit > [adjective] > having many meanings
multivalent1933
plurivalent1937
polyvalent1957
1957 S. Ullmann Style in French Novel 20 Stylistic elements, it will be remembered, are ‘polyvalent’; the same device may produce several effects, and conversely, the same effect may be obtained from several devices.
1960 K. M. Delavenay & E. Delavenay Introd. Machine Transl. iii. 36 The grammatical value of polyvalent words.
1966 New Statesman 25 Feb. 266/2 The colour-symbolism in [Tarsis'] Red and Black is pervasive and bafflingly polyvalent.
1989 M. Gimbutas Lang. of Goddess iii. xix. 219 We deal here, it seems, with polyvalent symbolism, with that of both death and rebirth, tomb and womb, at once.
1999 M. Snow & M. Snow in W. S. Graham Nightfisherman p. xiii The passages of luxuriant polyvalent language, puns and all, give small insights into his sources.
2000 C. Rowland in A. Hastings et al. Oxf. Compan. Christian Thought 621/2 Most..[readers of the book of Revelation] seek to reduce its chaotic, polyvalent imagery to some kind of order and thereby tame it.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adj.1866