covalence

[ koh-vey-luhns ]

nounChemistry.
  1. the number of electron pairs that an atom can share with other atoms.

Origin of covalence

1
First recorded in 1915–20; co- + valence

Other words from covalence

  • co·va·lent, adjective
  • co·va·lent·ly, adverb

Words Nearby covalence

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024