subshell

S1U1B3S1H4E1L1L1

noun

Any of the atomic orbitals for which the values of the n and l quantum numbers are the same, such as the three 2p or five 3d atomic orbitals.

OriginEnglish shell ← Middle English schelle ← Old English sċiell →
UncommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

nounsubshell (plural subshells)

plural subshells

  1. chemistryAny of the atomic orbitals for which the values of the n and l quantum numbers are the same, such as the three 2p or five 3d atomic orbitals.
  2. computingA child process launched by a shell.

Origin

  1. Latinsub
  2. Latinsub-
  3. Englishsub-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*(s)kelH-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*skol-yeh₂
  6. Proto-Germanic*skaljō
  7. Proto-West Germanic*skallju
  8. Old Englishsċiell
  9. Middle Englishschelle
  10. Englishshell
  11. Englishsubshell

From sub- + shell.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish alikuori, alakuori
  • alikuoriatomic orbitals for which the values of the n and l quantum numbers are the same
  • alakuoriatomic orbitals for which the values of the n and l quantum numbers are the same
Hungarian alhéj
  • alhéjatomic orbitals for which the values of the n and l quantum numbers are the same
Irish fosceall
  • fosceallatomic orbitals for which the values of the n and l quantum numbers are the same
Cite this entry
APA

subshell. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subshell

MLA

“subshell.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subshell. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “subshell,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subshell.

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