unpaired electron

noun

An electron, in an atomic orbital, for which there is no other electron in the same orbital but with opposite spin; a characteristic of free radicals and other reactive species

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Meanings

noununpaired electron (plural unpaired electrons)

plural unpaired electrons

  1. chemistryAn electron, in an atomic orbital, for which there is no other electron in the same orbital but with opposite spin; a characteristic of free radicals and other reactive species
Cite this entry
APA

unpaired electron. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unpaired%20electron

MLA

“unpaired electron.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unpaired%20electron. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unpaired electron,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unpaired%20electron.

Source: unpaired electron on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.