electronegative

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adjective

having a negative electric charge

Similar
negativenegatively chargedcharged
Opposite
electropositive
OriginEnglish negative ← Latin electro- ← Ancient Greek ἤλεκτρον (ḗlektron) →
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Meanings

adjectiveelectronegative (not comparable)
  1. not comparablehaving a negative electric charge
  2. not comparablechemistrytending to attract electrons to form a chemical bond

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
electropositive

adjectivehaving a negative charge

Similar
negativenegatively chargedcharged
Also see
chargednegative

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchélectro-
  2. Ancient Greekἤλεκτρον (ḗlektron)
  3. Latinēlectrum
  4. Latinelectro-
  5. Englishelectro-
  6. Englishnegative
  7. Englishelectronegative

From electro- + negative.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish elektronegatiivinen
  • elektronegatiivinentending to attract electrons
Greek ηλεκτραρνητικός
  • ηλεκτραρνητικός (ilektrarnitikós)tending to attract electrons
Hungarian elektronegatív, elektromosan negatív
  • elektronegatívtending to attract electrons
  • elektromosan negatívtending to attract electrons
  • negatív elektromos/villamos töltésűtending to attract electrons
Irish leictridhiúltach
  • leictridhiúltachtending to attract electrons
Polish elektroujemny
  • elektroujemnytending to attract electrons
Russian электроотрица́тельный
  • электроотрица́тельный (elektrootricátelʹnyj)tending to attract electrons
Slovak elektronegatívny
  • elektronegatívnytending to attract electrons
Tagalog dagibaling
  • dagibalingtending to attract electrons
Cite this entry
APA

electronegative. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/electronegative

MLA

“electronegative.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/electronegative. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “electronegative,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/electronegative.

Source: electronegative on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.