van der Waals force

noun

The relatively weak attraction between neutral atoms and molecules arising from polarization induced in each particle by the presence of other particles.

OriginDutch van der Waals →
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Meanings

nounvan der Waals force (plural van der Waals forces)

plural van der Waals forces

  1. in pluraloftenchemistryThe relatively weak attraction between neutral atoms and molecules arising from polarization induced in each particle by the presence of other particles.

Origin

  1. Dutchvan der Waals
  2. Englishvan der Waals force

From van der Waals + force. From Dutch van der Waals. from Johannes Diderik van der Waals, who first described them.

More words from Dutch

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 范德瓦耳斯力, 范德華力 /范德华力
  • 范德瓦耳斯力 (fàndéwǎ'ěrsīlì)weak attraction
  • 范德華力 /范德华力 (fàndéhuálì)weak attraction
Dutch van der Waalskracht
  • van der Waalskrachtweak attraction
Finnish van der Waalsin voima
  • van der Waalsin voimaweak attraction
Polish oddziaływanie van der Waalsa
  • oddziaływanie van der Waalsaweak attraction
Portuguese força de van der Waals, atração de van der Waals
  • força de van der Waalsweak attraction
  • atração de van der Waalsweak attraction
Swedish van der Waalskraft
  • van der Waalskraftweak attraction
Cite this entry
APA

van der Waals force. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/van%20der%20Waals%20force

MLA

“van der Waals force.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/van%20der%20Waals%20force. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “van der Waals force,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/van%20der%20Waals%20force.

Source: van der Waals force on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.