ligand

L1I1G2A1N1D2
UK/ˈlɪɡ.ənd/US/ˈlaɪ.ɡənd/

noun

Such an entity that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex.

OriginLatin ligandus →
Less commonScrabble 8
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Meanings

nounligand (plural ligands)

plural ligands

  1. A molecule or moiety (ion, functional group, or radical) that binds to another chemical entity to form a larger complex; as, especially:
    1. physicalcoordination chemistrychemistrySuch an entity that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex.
    2. physicalbiochemistrySuch an entity that forms a complex with a biomolecule to serve a biological purpose.
  2. mediaA letter that orthography requires or allows to be ligated with one or more other letters to form a ligature, such as a in æ or o in œ.

Origin

  1. Latinligandus
  2. Englishligand

Borrowed from Latin ligandus, gerundive of ligo (“bind”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic ربيطة
  • ربيطة (rabita)something that binds to another chemical entity
Bengali লিগ্যান্ড
  • লিগ্যান্ড (ligênḍ)something that binds to another chemical entity
Catalan lligand
  • lligandsomething that binds to another chemical entity
Chinese Mandarin 配體 /配体
  • 配體 /配体 (pèitǐ)something that binds to another chemical entity
Finnish ligandi
  • ligandisomething that binds to another chemical entity
French ligand
  • ligandsomething that binds to another chemical entity
German Ligand
  • Ligandsomething that binds to another chemical entity
Hebrew ליגנד
  • ליגנד (ligánd)something that binds to another chemical entity
Hungarian ligandum
  • ligandumsomething that binds to another chemical entity
Indonesian ligan
  • ligansomething that binds to another chemical entity
Irish liogann
  • liogannsomething that binds to another chemical entity
Italian ligando, legante
  • ligandosomething that binds to another chemical entity
  • legantesomething that binds to another chemical entity
Japanese 配位子, リガンド
  • 配位子 (haiishi)something that binds to another chemical entity
  • リガンド (rigando)something that binds to another chemical entity
Korean 리간드
  • 리간드 (rigandeu)something that binds to another chemical entity
Malay ligan
  • ligansomething that binds to another chemical entity
Persian لیگاند
  • لیگاندsomething that binds to another chemical entity
Polish ligand, ligand
  • ligandletter that must be ligated
  • ligandsomething that binds to another chemical entity
  • addendsomething that binds to another chemical entity
Portuguese ligando, ligante
  • ligandosomething that binds to another chemical entity
  • ligantesomething that binds to another chemical entity
Russian лига́нд
  • лига́нд (ligánd)something that binds to another chemical entity
Spanish ligando
  • ligandosomething that binds to another chemical entity
Swedish ligand
  • ligandsomething that binds to another chemical entity
Tamil ஈந்தணைவி
  • ஈந்தணைவி (īntaṇaivi)something that binds to another chemical entity
Thai ลิแกนด์
  • ลิแกนด์ (lí-gaen)something that binds to another chemical entity
Ukrainian ліга́нд
  • ліга́нд (lihánd)something that binds to another chemical entity
Vietnamese phối tử
  • phối tửsomething that binds to another chemical entity

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with ligand

brigand
All rhymes →

Anagrams

lading
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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