Meanings
noununit cell (plural unit cells)
plural unit cells
- chemistryThe smallest repeating structure (parallelepiped) of atoms within a crystal, from which the structure of the complete crystal can be inferred.
The first task for a crystallographer is to establish the shape of the unit cell.
1998, Georgina Ferry, Dorothy Hodgkin: A Life
Translations
Finnish alkeiskoppi, yksikkökoppi
- alkeiskoppismallest repeating structure in crystal
- yksikkökoppismallest repeating structure in crystal
Italian cella elementare
- cella elementaresmallest repeating structure in crystal
Polish komórka elementarna
- komórka elementarnasmallest repeating structure in crystal
Spanish celda unidad
- celda unidadsmallest repeating structure in crystal
Cite this entry
APA
unit cell. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unit%20cell
MLA
“unit cell.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unit%20cell. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unit cell,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unit%20cell.
Source: unit cell on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.