Meaning & use
polyvalence
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Meanings
noununcountablechemistrytechnical
In chemistry, the state of an atom or ion being able to bond with more than one other atom or group.
Grammar: Used as a mass noun: you talk about the polyvalence of an element, not 'a polyvalence'.
Patterns
- the polyvalence of something
The polyvalence of carbon explains why it forms so many different compounds.
Students learn about the polyvalence of certain metal ions in their first chemistry course.
Polyvalence allows one atom to connect with several neighbors at once.
noununcountablebiologytechnical
In biology and immunology, the ability of a substance or cell to bind to more than one target at the same time.
Grammar: Also a mass noun; often appears in phrases like 'the polyvalence of an antibody'.
Patterns
- the polyvalence of an antibody
- polyvalence against something
The polyvalence of the antibody makes it effective against several strains of the virus.
Researchers studied the polyvalence of the receptor protein.
Vaccines that show polyvalence can protect against more than one pathogen.
noununcountableformal
The quality of having many different uses, skills, or meanings.
Grammar: A formal word; in everyday speech 'versatility' is more common.
Patterns
- the polyvalence of something
The polyvalence of the word 'set' makes it hard to define briefly.
Her polyvalence as an actress lets her move easily between comedy and tragedy.
The tool's polyvalence means it can be used in many different jobs.
Common combinations
- chemical polyvalence
- Chemical polyvalence is a key concept when studying how atoms combine.
- the polyvalence of an element
- The polyvalence of an element affects the kinds of bonds it can form.
- polyvalence of meaning
- Poets often exploit the polyvalence of meaning in ordinary words.
- show polyvalence
- The new material shows polyvalence in both medicine and engineering.
Synonyms and how they differ
- versatility
- Versatility is the everyday word for having many uses or skills; polyvalence is more technical and often used in chemistry and biology.
- multivalence
- Multivalence is a close technical synonym, especially in chemistry, but it is even rarer than polyvalence.
Opposites
Word family
- polyvalent adjective
- Having more than one valence or able to bind to several targets.
- polyvalently adverb
- In a manner that involves more than one valence or target.
Commonly confused: polyvalence or polyvalent?
polyvalence vs polyvalent
Polyvalent is the adjective; polyvalence is the noun. Say 'a polyvalent atom' but 'the polyvalence of the atom'.
Practice
Choose the sentence that uses 'polyvalence' correctly.
Choose one answer.
Option 0 correctly uses the noun 'polyvalence' as the subject of a sentence about carbon's bonding ability. Option 1 is redundant because 'polyvalence' and 'polyvalent' are used together awkwardly; option 2 uses the noun where the adjective 'polyvalent' is needed; option 3 treats 'polyvalence' as a verb, which it is not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “polyvalence”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.