trifunctional

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adjective

Having three functions

OriginEnglish functional ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? ← Middle French function →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

adjectivetrifunctional (not comparable)
  1. not comparableHaving three functions
  2. not comparablechemistryHaving three functional groups

    Sequential living polymerizations of hydrophilic and hydrophobic vinyl ethers from these trifunctional initiators give amphiphilic triarmed block copolymers where the hydrophilic segments may be placed either inner or outer layer of the three arms.

    1997, Hatada, Macromolecular Design of Polymeric Materials, →ISBN, page 45

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*tréyes
  2. Proto-Indo-European*tri-
  3. Proto-Italic*tri-
  4. Latintri-
  5. Englishtri-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*bʰewg-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*bʰunégti
  8. Proto-Italic*fungōr
  9. Latinfungor
  10. Latinfūnctiō
  11. Old Frenchfonction
  12. Middle Frenchfunction
  13. Englishfunction
  14. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  15. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  16. Englishfunctional
  17. Englishtrifunctional

From tri- + functional.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Danish trifunktionel
  • trifunktionelexhibiting 3 functional groups
Finnish trifunktionaalinen
  • trifunktionaalinenexhibiting 3 functional groups
German trifunktionell, trifunktional
  • trifunktionellexhibiting 3 functional groups
  • trifunktionalexhibiting 3 functional groups
Greek τριλειτουργικός
  • τριλειτουργικός (trileitourgikós)exhibiting 3 functional groups
Hungarian háromértékű, háromértékű vegyület
  • háromértékűexhibiting 3 functional groups
  • háromértékű vegyületexhibiting 3 functional groups
  • háromértékű szerves vegyületexhibiting 3 functional groups
  • háromértékű molekulaexhibiting 3 functional groups
  • háromértékű vegyületekexhibiting 3 functional groups
Latin trifūnctiōnālis
  • trifūnctiōnālisexhibiting 3 functional groups
Polish trzyfunkcyjny
  • trzyfunkcyjnyexhibiting 3 functional groups
Russian трифункциональный
  • трифункциональный (trifunkcionalʹnyj)exhibiting 3 functional groups
Spanish trifuncional
  • trifuncionalexhibiting 3 functional groups
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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