quantivalence

quant·i·val·ence
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UK/kwɒnˈtɪvəl(ə)ns/US/kwɑnˈtɪvələns/US/kwɑnˈtɪvləns/

noun

Synonym of valence (“the combining capacity of an atom, functional group, or radical determined by the number of atoms of hydrogen with which it will unite, or the number of electrons that it will gain, lose, or share when it combines with other atoms, etc.”).

Similar
valence
OriginLatin quantus ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- →
Scrabble 27
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Meanings

nounquantivalence (countable and uncountable, plural quantivalences)

plural quantivalences · alternative quantivalency

  1. countablehistoricaluncountablechemistrySynonym of valence (“the combining capacity of an atom, functional group, or radical determined by the number of atoms of hydrogen with which it will unite, or the number of electrons that it will gain, lose, or share when it combines with other atoms, etc.”).

    Synonyms: valence

  2. broadlycountableuncountablegenerallyEquivalence measured quantitatively.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounSynonym of valence (“the combining capacity of an atom, functional group, or radical determined by the number of atoms of hydrogen with which it will unite, or the number of electrons that it will gain, lose, or share when it combines with other atoms, etc.”).

Similar
valence
Also see
valence

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂welh₁-“to rule; powerful, strong”
  2. Latinvalentia“bodily strength; health; vigour”
  3. Latinquantus“how much”
  4. Englishquantivalence

From Latin quantus (“how much”) + English -i- (interfix inserted between morphemes of Latin origin for ease of pronunciation) + Latin valentia (“bodily strength; health; vigour”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“to rule; powerful, strong”)) + -ence (suffix meaning ‘having the condition or state of’), coined by F. O. Ward who communicated it to the German chemist August Wilhelm von Hofmann (1818–1892), leading him to coin the German word Quantivalenz from which valence is derived.

More words from Latin, Proto-Indo-European

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish määrällinen yhtäläisyys
  • määrällinen yhtäläisyysequivalence measured quantitatively
Polish pięciowartościowość
  • pięciowartościowośćequivalence measured quantitatively
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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