functional group

noun

A specific grouping of elements that is characteristic of a class of compounds, and determines some properties and reactions of that class.

“Various functional groups often occur in biomolecules.”

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Meanings

nounfunctional group (plural functional groups)

plural functional groups

  1. chemistryA specific grouping of elements that is characteristic of a class of compounds, and determines some properties and reactions of that class.

    Various functional groups often occur in biomolecules.

  2. biologyA collection of organisms of specific morphological, physiological, behavioral, biochemical properties.

Translations

Afrikaans funksionele groep
  • funksionele groepcharacteristic grouping of elements
Arabic مجموعة وظيفية
  • مجموعة وظيفيةcharacteristic grouping of elements
Basque funtzio talde
  • funtzio taldecharacteristic grouping of elements
Bulgarian функционална група
  • функционална група (funkcionalna grupa)characteristic grouping of elements
Catalan grup funcional
  • grup funcionalcharacteristic grouping of elements
Chinese Mandarin 官能團 /官能团, 功能群
  • 官能團 /官能团 (guānnéngtuán)characteristic grouping of elements
  • 功能群organisms of specific properties
Czech funkční skupina
  • funkční skupinacharacteristic grouping of elements
Danish gruppe, funktionel gruppe
  • gruppecharacteristic grouping of elements
  • funktionel gruppecharacteristic grouping of elements
Dutch functionele groep
  • functionele groepcharacteristic grouping of elements
Esperanto funkcia grupo
  • funkcia grupocharacteristic grouping of elements
Estonian funktsionaalrühm
  • funktsionaalrühmcharacteristic grouping of elements
Finnish funktionaalinen ryhmä, funktionaalinen ryhmä
  • funktionaalinen ryhmächaracteristic grouping of elements
  • funktionaalinen ryhmäorganisms of specific properties
French groupe fonctionnel
  • groupe fonctionnelcharacteristic grouping of elements
German funktionelle Gruppe
  • funktionelle Gruppecharacteristic grouping of elements
Greek χαρακτηριστική ομάδα
  • χαρακτηριστική ομάδα (charaktiristikí omáda)characteristic grouping of elements
Hebrew קבוצה פונקציונלית
  • קבוצה פונקציונליתcharacteristic grouping of elements
Hindi प्रकार्यात्मक समूह
  • प्रकार्यात्मक समूह (prakāryātmak samūh)characteristic grouping of elements
Hungarian funkciós csoport
  • funkciós csoportcharacteristic grouping of elements
Indonesian gugus fungsi, gugus fungsional
  • gugus fungsicharacteristic grouping of elements
  • gugus fungsionalcharacteristic grouping of elements
Irish feidhmghrúpa
  • feidhmghrúpacharacteristic grouping of elements
Italian gruppo funzionale
  • gruppo funzionalecharacteristic grouping of elements
Japanese 官能基
  • 官能基 (kannōki)characteristic grouping of elements
Korean 작용기
  • 작용기 (jagyonggi)characteristic grouping of elements
Malay kumpulan berfungsi
  • kumpulan berfungsicharacteristic grouping of elements
Māori rōpū mahinga
  • rōpū mahingacharacteristic grouping of elements
Persian گروه عاملی
  • گروه عاملی (goruh-e 'âmeli)characteristic grouping of elements
Polish grupa funkcyjna, grupa funkcyjna
  • grupa funkcyjnacharacteristic grouping of elements
  • grupa funkcyjnaorganisms of specific properties
Portuguese grupo funcional, grupo funcional
  • grupo funcionalcharacteristic grouping of elements
  • grupo funcionalorganisms of specific properties
Romanian grup funcțional, grupă funcțională
  • grup funcționalcharacteristic grouping of elements
  • grupă funcționalăcharacteristic grouping of elements
Russian функциональная группа
  • функциональная группа (funkcionalʹnaja gruppa)characteristic grouping of elements
Slovak funkčná skupina
  • funkčná skupinacharacteristic grouping of elements
Spanish grupo funcional
  • grupo funcionalcharacteristic grouping of elements
Swahili kundi
  • kundicharacteristic grouping of elements
Swedish funktionell grupp
  • funktionell gruppcharacteristic grouping of elements
Turkish fonksiyonel grup
  • fonksiyonel grupcharacteristic grouping of elements
Ukrainian функціональна група
  • функціональна група (funkcionalʹna hrupa)characteristic grouping of elements
Urdu فنکشنل گروپ
  • فنکشنل گروپcharacteristic grouping of elements
Vietnamese nhóm chức
  • nhóm chứccharacteristic grouping of elements
Welsh grŵp gweithredol
  • grŵp gweithredolcharacteristic grouping of elements
Cite this entry
APA

functional group. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/functional%20group

MLA

“functional group.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/functional%20group. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “functional group,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/functional%20group.

Source: functional group on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.