Meaning & use
monosodium
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivebefore a nountechnicalchemistry
Containing one sodium atom or ion in each molecule of a chemical compound.
Grammar: Used only before a noun, and almost always as part of a longer chemical name such as monosodium glutamate.
Patterns
- monosodium + noun
Monosodium phosphate is added to some processed foods as an acidity regulator.
The label listed monosodium citrate among the ingredients.
In the lab, we prepared a monosodium salt by adding exactly one equivalent of sodium hydroxide.
Common combinations
- monosodium glutamate
- Monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer often used in Asian cooking.
- monosodium phosphate
- Monosodium phosphate can be used to adjust the acidity of a solution.
- monosodium salt
- A monosodium salt forms when one sodium ion replaces a single hydrogen ion.
- monosodium citrate
- Monosodium citrate is sometimes used as a buffer in soft drinks.
Word family
- sodium noun
- The chemical element with symbol Na, a soft silvery metal.
- disodium adjective
- Containing two sodium atoms or ions per molecule.
- trisodium adjective
- Containing three sodium atoms or ions per molecule.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'monosodium' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Monosodium is a technical adjective that appears almost only in chemical names like monosodium glutamate. It is not used as a standalone noun for a substance, so the other options are incorrect.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “monosodium”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.